Gone with the Wind
by Singerj199
Summary: Tails is kidnapped during the night. Who took him and why? It's up to Sonic, Sally and the other freedom fighters to find out what happened to their youngest member and bring him home safely, but what other dangers lie ahead? Set in an alternate SatAM timeline. Rated T (Formerly named "Kidnapped")
1. Gone with the Wind

**A/N Howdy! For anyone following this story, welcome back and please excuse my leave of absence. If you're new to the story, welcome! I hope y'all enjoy the story as much as i enjoyed writing it.**

**Also Shoutout to Rinpoo for helping me edit and revise this chapter. Definitley check out "Taking Up the Mantle" by Rinpoo as it is my favorite story on this site.**

**All characters belong to Sega/DiC Entertainment, etc. etc. A/N**

Gone with the Wind

Light rain fell from the sky, the small droplets hitting the ground, teasing the downpour to come. The landscape was adorned with large oak trees, thunder rumbled in the distance and its threatening cries echoed throughout the forest, as the sun sank below the horizon.

The slight breeze occasionally kicked up with an angry whistle causing the branches of the trees to sway in untimely unison. However, despite the weather's ominous nature, few mobians were deterred from going about their day. They had things that need to be accomplished, and their daily tasks would not wait.

Amongst the stormy clatter, a voice cut through the mix of sound. It was a high=pitched laughter, that resounded happily above all else.

"Goal!" the young fox yelled to no one in particular. His blue eyes shined with pride, having finally mastered the "Sonic Slap-Shot" as he liked to call it.

Excitedly the kit's twin tails began to spin into a blur of orange and white, and as the velocity of the rotary effect increased, dust and gravel was kicked up until the boy's feet left the ground. Pumping his fists up and down he cheered, rotating in a circle with his eyes closed in a triumphant expression, but in his celebration the kit failed to hear the faint sound of twigs snapping underfoot.

Sonic chuckled at the sight of the young fox in mid celebration, "Nice shot, little buddy!"

Startled by the sudden presence, Tails plopped on the ground and his rear end kicked up a small cloud of dust as the dirt hockey rink broke the kit's fall.

The kit smiled sheepishly at the blue hedgehog, "Thanks, I've been practicing it all week!" Tails excitedly explained and demonstrated the slapshot, in which he used his bushy tails to send the puck flying into the net at tremendous speed.

"Way past cool, kid!" Sonic exclaimed, ruffling the kit's head fur. "Well come on, its almost time for dinner."

"Awe man!" Tails whined, "I wanted to stay out here and practice more!"

Sonic rolled his eyes, but failed to hold back a smile and guided the kid away from the dirt hockey rink and towards the mess hall.

The meal was simple, the freedom fighters made light conversation and Tails gleefully took the opportunity to gloat about mastering his newest hockey skill.

The others soaked up the story from the young kit, it was seldom that Tails was this outspoken. He was usually much more reserved and respectful, even more so than a certain hedgehog.

"Wow, that's somethin' Sugah!" Bunnie exclaimed, she loved seeing his eyes shimmer the way they did.

There was something so mystical about a child's wonder and innocence. The awe and curiosity that shined from the kit was so undeniable that the sight made it hard to keep a smile from the rabbit's face.

Tails' wide smile quickly morphed into a frown of concern and worry, as a loud clap of thunder roared over the ambient noise. He did his best to keep it hidden from the others, but alas, such phobias always had a way of brimming to the surface.

A hand reached over and squeezed his arm reassuringly. Tails looked to his side and saw the gentle smile of his 'Aunt' Sally. He then took a look around the table and saw the affectionate and empathetic expressions directed towards him.

He felt an all too familiar sensation rise in his face, his muzzle turning a light shade of red. Tails simply continued to try and act normal, even though he knew that the others had full knowledge of his fears.

Not long after dinner, the freedom fighters retired to their huts for the night. Tails lay in his bed happily listening the story being enthusiastically read aloud and acted out by Sally.

Another bright flash lit up the room and a subsequent crash of thunder rattled the hut, grabbing the attention of the fox and pulling his eyes to the window.

"It's just a storm, Tails," Sally reassured her young charge. "You don't need to be afraid."

Tails heard her speak, but he wasn't listening. His mind was fixed on the glass and the storm that raged just beyond the walls.

Tails listened and watched the rain pour as it slammed into the huts and soaking into the earth below, generating a thick, viscous mud. The trees swayed ominously in the fierce winds and repeatedly the sky was pierced by flashes of lighting.

To other folks it was a thunderstorm, typical of springtime, but to the active imagination of the eight-year-old the world outside seemed to be alive and putting its utmost ferocity on display.

"Tails?" Sally asked, finally bringing the fox back from his thoughts.

He turned his head to look at the princess, her piecing blue eyes and smile were always inviting There was an undeniable warmth, comfort, and most importantly, a sense of security that radiated from her.

"Yeah, Aunt Sally?" Tails asked finally giving the chipmunk his full attention.

Sally looked at the young fox with sympathy and concern, "Are you going to be okay, tonight?"

Tails paused before nodding "Yeah…I'm a big boy! I'll be fine," Tails declared attempting to flex his muscles in the style of a body builder.

"Alright, my little man," Sally giggled at the fox's macho display. She finished reading her story and bent down and kissed Tails on his right cheek, then his left cheek, and finally his nose; earning several adorable giggles from the tiny fox. She smiled in delight at the titter that sank into her ears; it was such a precious sound, that to her seemed invaluable.

Oh, how Sally loved the little fox in front of her, he was her biggest inspiration in the fight against Robotnik. His young mind was constantly full of wonder and curiosity, with a smile that rarely faded, and an uncanny sense of hope that seemed insurmountable.

Although Tails wasn't old enough to accompany the other freedom fighters on missions to Robotropolis, he was a vital member of the freedom fighters. Always present for the welcoming party, showing his appreciation and his admiration of his elders.

Even when missions went awry and no matter how bad things got, Tails was there to see the bright side of every situation, he was, to say the least, eternally optimistic.

When there was no silver lining to be had and no bright side to be seen. Tails was always available and ready to lend a hug with encouraging words saying, "We'll get ole 'Buttnick next time!"

Whether or not he knew just how vital a part he played, Tails was a beacon of hope, at times he shone like a lighthouse to a lost ship.

"Goodnight, sweetie," she said and planted one more kiss on Tails' forehead.

"Goodnight, Aunt Sally, sleep tight don't let the bed bugs bite!" Tails said as she departed.

With the flick of a switch the room was dark, and Tails sunk into his bed, resting his head on the pillow, listening to the storm outside.

It wasn't long before Tails felt a familiar sense of anxiety wash over him, and he watched the lighting spidering its way from cloud to cloud.

His sensitive ears twitched and turned as the wood of his hut creaked warily. He did his best to relax, but failed to keep his imagination from conjuring up an image of a funnel cloud.

Reaching down, like a hungry monster, ready to suck his hut into a cyclone of oblivion. Tails shuddered at the thought and did his best to cast the mental image aside.

He tossed and turned, trying to ignore the sounds of the wind, rain, and thunder raging just outside the walls of his hut, but Tails found that his own exhaustion and imagination were battling each other.

Ultimately, the tiring feeling was victorious and welcomed by the fox, as he allowed himself to be pulled underneath the shroud of an uneasy and restless sleep.

Sally jogged her way to her hut, her boots sinking and sticking into the mud with each step. The rain poured relentlessly, soaking the chipmunk thoroughly by the time she reached her hut.

Drying the dampness from her fur with a towel, Sally plopped down at her desk. A large schematic of the city laid flat across the table. Several areas were circled with red ink, each circle was allocated a note of some kind.

Planning raids in Robotropolis was a tedious and painstaking process. Every move and maneuver had to be accounted for, and every action had to have a contingency in place.

She toiled into the night, making notes and details for insertion, operations in the field, as well as an exit strategy. Finally Sally reached a stopping point and allowed herself to climb into her bed, where she promptly fell asleep.

Deep into her slumber, Sally's dreams flipped through her memories like a scrapbook. Short dreams of her closest friends and dearest family flashed before her, glimpses of the deepest peace and love enveloped her like a warm blanket.

Sadly, it was not to last as her mind came to rest on one such event; the most important day in her 25 years of life… The day she found and brought home a tiny abandoned fox cub.

_Sally walked along the great river, her mind was blurred by the recent failed missions and the strained relationships said failures had caused. She found herself questioning her own abilities as a Princess and more importantly as a leader to the freedom fighters._

_There had been a prolonged series of storms that caused the river to swell beyond its usual banks. Sally stopped, looking down at her complicated reflection that shone in the ever forward flowing river. Her image was curved and distorted._

_She reached down allowing her fingertips to gently break the surface and she felt the gentle pull of the river on her hand. She watched with intrigue as the image was further split int two distinct halves._

_The split image seemed to give Sally resolve as she allowed her mind to calm itself and simply listen to the sound of the water and the ambient noise of the forest created an almost harmonic tone. _

_Perhaps it was because she allowed herself to listen, that Sally heard the noise, a voice. It was in fact a small cry, a continuous wail that was barely even audible above the natural volume. _

_Thinking that it was some distressed mobian that had been recently injured, Sally stood with an unusual sense of urgency. Her ears twitched slightly, attempting to locate the cry._

_Slowly Sally moved in the general direction of the sound. The closer she drew the louder and more defined the cry became, she listened intently attempting to locate the voice. _

_She called out, hoping that the individual would be coherent enough to echo back a response, but Sally had no such luck. She pressed forward and the cry became even more distinct than before, it sounded like that of a baby or an infant. _

_When Sally finally found the source of the cry, her eyes widened. Stowed away in the bough of a tree, adjacent to the river was a tiny fox cub. _

_Sally stared at the young child in disbelief, wondering who would be so cruel as to abandon a defenseless child in the middle of the Great Forest. _

_She closely examined the child and the cloth that swaddled the it tightly. Sally finally pulled the cub from the tree, holding it up in the fading light of the day. Her eyes fell upon a faded and torn tag that read the simple moniker "Prower" _

_The baby wailed and cried in Sally's grasp, obviously cold, hungry, and uncomfortable. Sally gently wiped the moisture from the kit's forehead and his small pelt was cold to the touch. Biting her lip, Sally did the only thing that her young mind could think of and brought the crying bundle of fur back to Knothole._

_On the trek back, Sally shuddered at the idea of what would've become of the kit, had she not taken the time to stop and allow her mind to be eased. _

_There was only one fate that the infant would have faced, had Sally not found it when she did. She did her best to cast such thoughts from her mind as she approached the outskirts of the village. Hastily, Sally headed directly to the privacy of her hut. _

_She placed the crying child on her desk, Sally gently loosened the swaddle, her mouth dropped open when she saw that two small tails laid out beneath him. _

_Sally's nostrils were assaulted by a fowl stench as the baby continued to writhe and whine. Sally finally managed to set herself to work making a fresh diaper by tearing a piece of cloth from her bed sheets. _

_Sally gently cleaned the child and applied the fresh make-shift diaper. Despite her efforts the baby fox continued to cry, although in a lower pitch than before. _

_She then mashed up some berries and vegetables using her small mortar and pestle. She hoped that feeding the cub would finally end his wailing. _

_Ever so gently, Sally guided the mashed-up ingredients into the baby's mouth and the cub greedily accepted the food._

_With a clean diaper and a full belly, the baby boy was finally calm, his small blue eyes wandered around the room. Finally meeting Sally's curious gaze. Instantly the chipmunk's heart melted and she failed to resist the urge to hold out her finger, a smile finally gracing her face as she felt the small grip slowly wrap around it._

"_So, what's your name?" Sally asked, knowing full well, she wouldn't get a response._

_The baby cooed happily as if to answer, "Abba!"_

_Sally giggled at the adorable sight, continuing on to ask, "You must be miles from home, huh?" it was then that the slight grin, widened ear to ear. "I like that name… Miles. Miles Prower."_

_Just as her dream began to fade, another, equally pleasant, dream took its place. A memory from only a few years prior._

"_Aunt Sally?" a small voiced called and a tiny hand tugged at her bed sheets. Sally turned on the light to reveal little Miles, only four years old standing at her bedside, a small and tattered teddy bear hung loosely from his grip._

"_Hmm?" Sally responded groggily, "What's wrong? Are you okay, honey?" Finally getting a good look at the kit, she could see the tears that stained his muzzle, and he seemed to be shaking a bit. He sniffled lightly as he spoke._

"_I had a bad dream. Can I stay with you, please?" Miles asked softly._

_Sally sighed, but her smile never dimmed. "Come here," she said, hoisting the child up to her bed._

_Sally tucked Miles in and climbed under the bedsheets next to him. Her heart swelled with affection as she felt the fox snuggle up against her chest. She shut off the light and before long Miles was sound asleep in Sally's grasp. _

_She planted a small kiss on his forehead and the tiny smile that formed on his face told her that he'd felt it._

Deep in her sleep, Sally released a contented sigh. She wrapped herself tighter into her bedsheets and the rain lulled her deeper into sleep.

Tails tossed and turned in his sleep, with a loud crackle of thunder, Tails' eyes fluttered open. He sighed and tried to roll over on his side, but it yielded no relief. Attempting to make himself more comfortable, Tails rolled onto his back, his gaze fixated on the ceiling.

That was when he heard a jarring sound ring out. A subtle creak, it was a distinct sound, one that Tails was accustomed to. It was the creaky floorboard in the bathroom, he'd inherently memorized the sound from making the same trip to brush his teeth every morning when he woke up.

Tails tried his best to convince himself that it was just his imagination, or just the wood creaking as it often did during the changing of seasons.

Tails ignored the sound at first, but couldn't help but find himself resting on his side, his gaze fixated on the threshold of the bedroom and the empty darkness just beyond the door.

When Tails heard the same creak and the subtle shifting of weight from one foot to the other, he called out, "Aunt Sally?"

No response. Not a sound, not a creak, not a breath was heard except for the continuous rain that pattered against the roof and the window.

"S-Sonic?" the kit called out once more, "This isn't funny."

Still silence.

Tails stared at his bedroom door, doing his best not to blink, "It's just your imagination, Tails," he tried to reassure himself, but he barely believed his own comforting lie.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as lighting once again pierced the sky, illuminating the room in a fluorescent blue for a few seconds at a time, before thunder crackled loudly directly after.

Tails began to shake, his breaths became short and intense, he felt his heart rate increase and he could hear his pulse pounding in his ears.

The mere seconds of illumination gave proof to his fear, that the sounds he heard were not simply the wood expanding and shifting.

His eyes were fixated on the front door, as once more the room lit up and Tails caught the glimpse of water soaked into the wood accompanied by several muddy footprints leading to the bathroom.

He wasn't crazy after all, nor was his imagination conjuring up images and irrational fears.

Quickly Tails reached for the window, as it was his only means of escape, simultaneously a clap of thunder rolled overhead; unleashing an explosion of deafening sound.

Tails wasn't even able to scream, as a dark figure approached from behind and shoved a cloth gag in the boy's mouth muting any potential cries or pleas for help.

Tails clawed viscously for the window, tears streamed down his face, he was so afraid and distraught that he soaked his own mattress in urine.

A second cloth wrapped around Tails' muzzle, he continued to struggle for a few seconds more, before his vision began to fade. With the last hopeful glance at the window and his muscles feeling so weak and tired, his world was plunged into darkness, as everything was lost to him.

Sally rose from her slumber, feeling well rested she stretched out her lithe frame and peered out the window. The rain still fell from the sky, albeit lighter than the previous night.

The sun hadn't even poked over the horizon when Sally continued her planning of the upcoming raid. Such was normal of the princess, first one to rise in the morning, last to sleep in the evening.

Her work kept her occupied and the hours drifted by like dry leaves in the wind. By the time that Sally had looked up, the sun had already breached the top of the tree line and the clouds had given way to the sunshine and blue skies.

Sally smiled to herself as she expected Tails to poke his little head through her door to wish her a good morning or wave at her through the view of her window.

When she wasn't graced with his presence, she couldn't help but feel a little off and stepped into her boots and slipped on her blue vest. She was quickly ready to make her way to his hut to check on him.

When she turned towards the door, she was greeted by the sight of Sonic standing in the doorway. "Hey," Sally said softy, a small smile pulled at her lips. "Good morning, Sonic."

The blue hedgehog shook his head lightly, a look of concern plastered on his face. "Eh, not so good for all of us, Sal," Sonic said in response. "Looks like the storm really rattled Tails' cage last night."

As most children have experienced, Tails still occasionally wet the bed, it occurred mostly when his fear became too much to bear, almost exclusively due to lightning. Usually, so overcome with embarrassment and shame, he had a tendency to hide from the others after having an accident.

Sally frowned, "Poor thing. Have you seen him at all this morning?"

"Nah," Sonic said with a shake of his head. "Not yet at least. You know how he is; he's probably hiding on the outskirts of the village right now."

"Yeah, I know," Sally sighed, "But he hasn't wet the bed in nearly seven months, we've had worse storms without incident."

Sonic shrugged. "I don't know, Sal. But I'm sure he'll poke around here soon enough," he said with a smile.

Sally returned the gesture when Sonic invited her to join him and the others for breakfast. When they arrived the other freedom fighters had already sat down with their own plates filled with a simple mix of eggs and berry stuffed crepes.

They made pleasant but brief conversations, ranging from basic details of the upcoming raid, to how different projects around the village were progressing, finally their conversation rolled around to the storm that passed through the night before.

The rich blue canvas, with scarce cloud cover overhead, was a stark contrast to the angry clouds that had previously occupied the area.

The forest seemed to celebrate the end of the storm as the birds chirped and sang happily while they excitedly picked at the worms driven to the surface by the excess rainfall.

When the chatter ceased amongst the group, Bunnie took a quick glance around the table. "Say, where is that little sugah-fox? She asked, "I ain't even gotten a good mornin' yet!"

"Um," Sally said quietly, before leaning in and whispering loud enough that only the occupants of the table could hear. "He had an accident last night. He's probably hiding right now, I'm sure he's embarrassed out of his wits."

"Has anyone seen ze Tails zis morning?" Antoine asked

"I don't think so, Ant" Sonic replied, "He's not gonna be seen 'til he wants to."

When breakfast was finished, the freedom fighters went about their day as per usual, but between making preparations for the raid and the hasty progression of the day, nobody noticed that, in all those hours, the dirt hockey rink was vacant of its sole player.

By the time that dinner rolled around, the freedom fighters were nearly finished with their work, each assuming that at least one of the others had seen Tails or heard from him, no one had made note of the fox's extended leave of absence.

When the group sat down at the table it was revealed that in fact none of them had seen the kit all day, not even any of the civilian residents of the village could confirm the sighting of the two tailed fox.

Sonic was naturally relaxed and somewhat dismissive of the issue, reasoning that maybe the kid was seeking some independence. Unfortunately, Sally didn't buy that theory, as there was a gnawing feeling that something was wrong and it was her responsibility to figure it out.

Searching along the outskirts of the village and all of Tails' favorite hiding spots, Sally couldn't do so much as to locate a trail. She had always instructed the boy not to venture too far beyond the outskirts of the village, and being as obedient of a child as Tails was, Sally's concerns only grew when she couldn't even coax out the fox with his favorite meal.

Sally resorted to checking Tails' room, scrutinizing every detail that Sonic, had no doubt, missed given his quick moving and impatient demeanor.

As soon as she walked into the bedroom, she was assaulted by a foul stench. The scent was clearly fox urine but not exclusively so. Her eyes fell upon a discarded rag that seemed out of place, as she hadn't carried any kind of handkerchief the night before.

She picked the rag while holding her nose with her free hand. She began inspecting it closely, and a detail beyond the clothe garnered her attention causing her focus of vision to transition to the mattress and more importantly the faded stain that clung to it.

There was something peculiar about the stain; it wasn't centered in the bed where Tails' was sleeping. The stain was at the edge of the mattress and ran down to the bedframe.

It seemed to occur as if Tails was positioned at the side of the bed when his accident occurred, and Tails was never known to sleep walk or really move, save for the occasional toss and turn.

Sally's mind pondered over the details, the answers were all there, painting a picture of the scene that unfolded the night before and all she had to do was connect the dots.

When the realization came to her, Sally's eyes went as wide as saucers, tears brimmed in them and her hand rose to cover her open jaw.

She felt a wave of panic take over her as she envisioned some unknown assailant forcibly dragging the poor boy away from home.

Sally's fears were only further confirmed as she noticed the faint and dry muddy footprints that led from the front door to the bathroom.

Sally bolted from Tails' hut, as fast as her legs could carry her, she had to alert the freedom fighters of what had happened. There was no question in her mind, as the details laid out so clearly, Tails had obviously been kidnapped, and she needed to act as quickly as possible.


	2. Calm Before the Storm

**A/N Here is Chapter 2 of my story! I've been on an extended hiatus from writing for a few different reasons. But I'm happy to finally be getting back to writing this story. This chapter is fairly short, but I'm using it as a stepping stone to the meat and potatoes of this fic. So please bear with me.**

Calm Before the Storm

"Hold on, Sal," Sonic said, raising his hands in confusion, "Slow down."

The princess had approached Sonic in a panic, and as such was so distraught that her speech was little more than incoherent rambling. In fact the only word that Sonic was able to decipher was the word "Tails."

"You said, Tails, what about him?" Sonic asked, still completely bewildered by Sally's behavior.

"He's gone!" Sally's broken and anguished voice threatened to cause Sonic's ears to bleed. "Someone took him!"

"What?" Sonic exclaimed with wide eyes. He'd always known Sally to be the most rational member of the freedom fighters, so Sonic was nearly taken aback by such a wild claim.

Hastily Sonic and Sally gathered the other freedom fighters, so she could show them all her findings in Tails' hut. The thought of what could've happened by now or what was happening to the hapless child at the very moment chilled her to the bone, only further driving her panic.

Sally showed the others her findings and with little debate the consensus was in line with her deduction.

Sonic naturally blurted out the idea of tearing down Robotropolis until Tails was found, unfortunately, any frontal assault would lead to a massacre. Entering the city required patience and skill, the former seemed to be foreign to the hedgehog.

The Freedom Fighters quickly descended into an argument about the best way to go about a search and rescue operation. Each mobian had a unique point of view, ranging from optimistic to a brutal outlook on the reality at hand.

Standing off to the side, Sally watched the spectacle unfold. Her mind was in a tizzy, her hope rapidly losing the battle against her own pessimism. The usual competent and confident leader was at a loss of what to do.

Sally's ears began to ring and her own thoughts consumed her mind. Visions of what had happened flashed in her mind. In her stupor she didn't even realize that the other Freedom Fighters were staring right at her.

Her vision was blurred and her hearing was distorted. The voices of the others seemed to sound so fuzzy in Sally's ears. She felt a soft hand touch her shoulder, bringing Bunnie into her focus.

"Sally-Girl?" The rabbit asked her face was a mixture of concern and confusion. "Are y'all alright?"

Sally was quiet for a moment. The shock and gravity of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks; the sudden weight that she carried upon her shoulders was great.

"We need to contact Sonic's uncle," Sally said as she regained her composure. Much to Sonic's dismay.

"We might not even have enough time, Sal!" Sonic protested vehemently.

"It's our best option, Sonic," Sally countered, "Sir Charles has a better vantage point than we do."

A robotic screech broke the conversation as a messenger pigeon landed on Bunnie's outstretched hand.

"Well speak of the devil!" The rabbit exclaimed taking the note from the mechanical bird. "Ole' Charlie wants us to meet him in the city as soon as possible!"

"Well let's juice!" Sonic declared while he impatiently tapped his foot.

"Right," Sally responded before turning to the other freedom fighters. "We'll be back soon, gather the other freedom fighters so that if we have to we can move out directly."

"We're on it, Princess Sally," Rotor said with a quick salute.

Sonic gathered Sally in his arms and sped off leaving a strong retracting wind in his wake.

Moments later the duo arrived at the outskirts of the city. Sonic took point as they navigated their way to Chuck's hidden outpost.

The hedgehog knelt and gently knocked on what appeared to be a rusty trash can. Subsequently, an audible hiss escaped from the area of discarded material. The hidden hatch opened revealing the secret lab.

Sir Charles was there to greet them and urgently ushered them in before checking in all directions and sealing the entrance.

"I'm sure you know why I called you here with such a pressing manner," The robotic hedgehog started, skipping all forms of pleasantries and formalities.

"Yeah Unc' is Tails alright?" Sonic questioned without hesitation.

"He won't be for much longer," Charles answered in a solemn tone of voice, one that Sonic seldom heard. "Dr. Robotnik has already taken Tails to the roboticizing chamber."

Sally released an audible gasp. The revelation physically knocked the wind out of her lungs.

"I remotely scrambled the command system from here," The robian explained, "It'll buy you and the others a few hours at most."

"Why didn't Ro-butt-nik bring him there right off the bat? Tails has been missing for hours now." Sonic pondered aloud.

"It would seem that his intention was to extract information from the young lad." Charles supplied a possible theory. "But what troubles me most about this situation is that Tails wasn't brought in by a worker bot or even a stealth bot."

"Wait," Sally interjected, "You mean to say that a mobian kidnapped Tails?"

"I'm afraid so, Princess. I didn't get a good look at the captor but whoever it was, certainly was not roboticized." Charles retorted, "Given that the location of knothole is secret and they knew which hut belonged to Tails, that would suggest the presence of a turncoat."

The last words hung in the air like a thick mist. Sonic and Sally exchanged worried glances, the newest disclosure of information only furthered to complicate the current crisis.

Sonic was the first to break out of the stupor, "Well, Uncle Chuck, do you have any idea how we're supposed to save Tails before he's roboticized?"

"I do Sonny-Boy," Charles answered back quickly. He brought a schematic of the city to the large monitor. "It won't be easy, but you'll need to knock out the two main generators as well as the back-up grid for auxiliary power."

"What are their locations and what grade charges do we need to take them out of commission?" Sally asked.

"The first generator is on the west side of Sector D-2 here," Charles said pointing to a premarked location on the map. "The second is on the south side of A-16, and the auxiliary unit is at the center of the city, just outside of the roboticization chamber."

Sally plugged NICOLE into the port of the computer to download and update the new atlas. Once the download was complete, Sally tucked the hand-held computer back into her vest.

"Thank you, Sir Charles," Sally thanked him genuinely.

"You're welcome, Princess. Now you two better get moving."

Sonic rushed back to Knothole as quickly as he could, still carrying Sally in his arms. Sonic noticed how uncharacteristically clammy the princess felt in his grip. Their trip was silent, an unfamiliar eeriness descended upon the duo.

Bunnie was the first to notice the hasty arrival of Sonic and Sally. She was eager to greet them and be briefed on what Sir Charles had informed them of.

"What did ole' Chuck have to say, Sally-Girl?" Bunnie asked, a slimmer of hope hung in her voice.

Sally breathed in heavily, "Tails hasn't been roboticized yet. Thankfully, Charles had a plan ready for us. So, Bunnie I need you to round up all of the freedom fighters and direct them to the mess hall for briefing. Sonic you come with me."

As soon as the rabbit was out of earshot, Sonic questioned Sally. "Why didn't you tell her?"

Sally sighed in exhaustion and frustration, "I trust Bunnie, I do. It's just, we don't need that information getting out there right before a rescue operation."

The two made their way to the mess hall and rearranged the tables into a conference like setting. Sally used NICOLE to project the updated schematic onto a table cloth strewn atop the tables.

Soon, every available freedom fighter made their way through the doors of the mess hall. A hush fell over the crowd of mobians. The tension in the room was undeniable and nearly unbearable.

"AS some of you may know, a junior member of the freedom fighters, was kidnapped last night during the storm. Sonic's Uncle, Sir Charles has informed us that Tails is being held captive in Robotropolis." The gravity of the situation sank onto the shoulders of everyone in the room, as Sally continued in her mission briefing.

"As of now, Tails only has a few hours left, before he is roboticized. Our objective is to destroy the two main generators here and here," Sally pointed to two pre-marked locations on the map. "In addition, we'd need to simultaneously destroy the auxiliary power grid, here."

Worried glances and murmuring consumed the small crowd.

"How do you propose we carry out this mission, Princess?" A voice raised up in concern.

Sally pointed to several locations on the outskirts of the city's map. "We'd break into six teams and enter from the south, east, and west sides. One team plants the charges, while the other provides overwatch and if need be creates a diversion."

The silence that fell upon the room was deafening.

Finally, Sonic stepped forward. "We're going out to rescue a kid, a junior freedom fighter. We know what we're asking of you. If you want to stay behind, leave now."

Not a single freedom fighter took a step toward the door.

"Very well," Sally said stepping forward, "Let's do it to it."

The city of Robotropolis stood in raging defiance against the skyline's fading light. Smoke poured out endlessly generating a thick smog that enveloped the city entirely. While the ceaseless droning of steel mills and factories filled the streets with a deafening roar.

The forsaken metropolis' only residents existed in the form of robotic slaves, known simply as Robians. Once flesh and blood, the Mobian citizens had fallen victim to the Tyrant Robotnik as his swift coup spared no one, young or old.

It was theorized that those that were roboticized were fully conscious, but had no control over their robotic exterior. The thousands of Mobians that were enslaved in such an eternal torture earned Robotropolis the moniker, "City of the Damned."

The Robians' only company was that of various combat-oriented robots built and designed by Robotnik himself. SWAT-Bots patrolled the empty streets, constantly prepared to make contact with any outside forces, mainly the Freedom Fighters.

At the heart of the citadel lay the lair of the technological tyrant as well as his most prized possession, the roboticizer. The machine was once designed for medical research, became the most feared and dreaded weapon on the face of Mobius. Its ominous presence was a constant reminder of the price of failure for the Freedom Fighters.

The roboticization process was brief but painful. It was a fate that seemed all too real to the two tailed fox that was now at the mercy of the wicked doctor.

**Well there was the second chapter, thank you so much for reading! If you'd be so kind, leave a review and let me know what you think! As always, Rock on and God Bless!**


	3. Into the Frey

**A/N Well here is chapter 3! This is where I feel that the story really starts to take off and it is a little bit intense, so hopefully y'all like it! Thank you so much for reading! **

Into the Fray

Tails' eyes slowly fluttered open. The onslaught of dizziness and nausea forced his lids to screw shut. As the fox became more lucid a rancid odor assaulted his nostrils relentlessly.

A fresh wave of anxiety washed over the fox as his eyes opened once again. Despite the blurred vision adorned with overbearingly bright lights; Tails was able to discern that he was in fact nowhere near his home.

As Tails regained his bearings, he came to find that every appendage was bound tightly to a table. The cold metallic surface pressed firmly against his back; making even turning his head a challenge.

Tails' ears twitched at the sound of heavy footsteps behind him. In a fury of desperation, Tails wiggled trying in vain to regain freedom of his limbs. In his blind attempts at freedom he failed to notice the arrival of the mysterious figure.

A large metallic fist slammed heavily into the table to the left of the kit's head. Tails watched in awe and terror as the hand raised up revealing a near perfect impression in the cast iron table.

"Hello, boy," the growling phonation dripped heavily into the fox's ears.

Tails' recoiled in fear as much as he could. The fur on his muzzle wilted at the acidic stench that accompanied the voice. As much as he wanted to, Tails' couldn't tear his eyes away from the black, soulless, voids and glowing red irises that stared back at him.

"Dr. Robotnik," Tails faintly whispered with an audible sense of despair.

Robotnik smiled, he drank up the image of fear plastered on the kit's face.

"That's right, fox," He spat. The smirk quickly fell from his face being replaced with a scowl.

"W-what do you want?" Tails asked, he attempted to display a sense of defiance, but couldn't qualm his unease.

Robotnik turned his back to the fox and brought his hand to his chin as if in deep thought.

Tails nearly asphyxiated from the silence that hung in the air. His chest tightened and compressed as Robotnik's next words hit his ears.

"Tell me the whereabouts of your village," the tyrant's voice was that of a whisper, "grant me this favor and I may allow you to live as my pet."

The mobian's blue eyes dropped and his lids slowly closed which deeply irked Robotnik.

"I'll never tell you where knothole is," Tails' eyes snapped open with a defiant expression.

"Oh I have ways, to shall we say, persuade you," Robotnik's said with a greasy sense of sarasm.

"Sonic will stop you," Tails stated simply with a furrowed brow and a smirk that could rival the blue hedgehog.

Without hesitation, Tails' jaw was clenched in Robotnik's near bone crushing grip. "I will destroy that retched rodent and burn your little village to ashes!"

The spark of defiance in Tails' expression was quickly extinguished by the tsunami of Robotnik's threat. Seeing the return of the fox's dismay, Robotnik released his grip on the kit's jaw.

"Escort this abomination to the Roboticizer," Robotnik ordered, "Await my arrival, I want to witness his procedure first hand."

Upon Robotnik's orders, Tails began thrashing violently despite his limited mobility. Two SWAT-Bots approached the writhing fox, pinning the hapless child down as the restraints were released.

The fox kicked and screeched wildly as he was escorted out of the chamber. Robotnik simply watched in disgust. He approached a desk and activated its communicator.

"Snively, prepare the roboticizer."

A shrill and nasally voice echoed in a timid response, "Y-yessir."

Several figures crept through the moonlit smog that clung to the ground. They moved silently and swiftly avoiding detection from the roaming sentries guarding the city.

Sally Acorn took point with NICOLE in hand, she guided the squad of freedom fighters toward the south generator. Behind her Ari Ram followed by a few lower ranking freedom fighters; a mountain lion named Kat, a badger by the name of Stewart, and a coyote named Nick.

The constant whirring of machinery echoed adding the unnatural existence of the city. The ambient noise nearly drowned out the sound of metallic footsteps approaching the group. Snapping her hand up in a 90-degree angle, the group quickly came to a halt.

Sally's hand suddenly curved into a dip and rocked back and forth; it was a command to find and take cover.

Without hesitation the group slid behind a discarded roof panel. The cold surface pressed against their backs, providing protection from any infrared optics used to pierce through the atmospheric contamination.

The heavy clanking of SWAT-Bots passed without incident and once the coast was clear, the group began moving from behind the refuge. Their troubles began when the sharp burr of the metal tore into Nick's arm with an audible rip.

Blood freely poured from the wound that extended three inches in length on the coyote's left arm. The group froze at the sound. Sally brow furrowed in questioning concern as she glanced to her rear.

She could faintly see the thick red liquid consuming the exposed fur on Nick's arm. Sally's eyes moved upwards to catch the coyote's gaze.

Alternating between a flat point and a thumbs up, Sally silently mouthed the words, "You okay?"

Nick gave a curt nod as he used his right hand to cover the wound. Sally applied a thick bandage, that she had pulled from Ari's back pack. Despite the pressure from the gauze pad and Nick's free hand, blood continued to trickle down his arm and drip off the tips of his fingers.

Despite the severity of the gash in her comrade's arm, Sally moved the squad forward.

The relatively short distance of one kilometer seemed to stretch for hours as they crept and inched their way towards the objective. Patrols grew heavier and more frequent the closer the group came to the generator; which was of little surprise to the seasoned Princess.

The roar of the generator was a deafening sound as the motor rang out in a one note song.

They were of all about 100 yards from their destination; a lengthy sprint in the comfort of knothole. Large metal structures erected from the fenced off generator allowing electrical cables to be strung to a multitude of identical structures headed in every direction.

Faded red and white signs clung to the chain link fences. The warnings read clear enough, "CAUTION 10,000 VOLTS"

Sally knelt behind a dilapidated building, leaning into a close huddle with the other freedom fighters.

"Looks like this is our target," Sally stated the obvious. The fear that coursed through her body was immense; more than she had ever felt in her life.

The black glove that covered Ari's hand came into Sally's view as his muscular hand gently gripped her own. The princess hadn't even realized how much her hand was shaking.

Ari's black eyes met Sally's and he offered a reassuring smile with an accompanying nod. "What's next, Princess?"

"Kat and Stewart take the left, plant the charges in the rear power line tower. Ari, you're with me, we go right and plant our charges at the base of the generator," Sally issued her commands to the group, leaving the coyote rather bewildered.

"What about me, Princess Sally?" Nick inquired. "Where am I during all of this?"

"You hold the rear and keep a lookout."

"I can go right with Ari, Princess," Nick protested.

"With your arm like that? No way. And if we don't make it back, you blow the charges," Sally said handing him a remote detonator.

The coyote's eyes went wide and violently shook his head, "Maybe I should go right."

Sally shot her hand out and covered his mouth, her brow furrowed in an agitated and aggressive manner. "Maybe you should shut up," She hissed her orders and removed her hand from Nick's face.

Noting her uncharacteristic outburst, Nick simply nodded and accepted his defeat. He knew that there was no margin for error or argument.

Sally composed herself and reminded the team to only use the wrist mounted communicators in case of emergency. Any slightest mishap and the mission would be compromised.

The two teams split to their respective targets as Nick watched from the cover of the building.

It was a slow and tedious process, inching the length of open ground. Sally and Ari crawled on their hands and knees to decrease visibility at the expense of torn up clothes and fur.

The thick smog assaulted their lungs and noses with a metallic stench. The cold of the pavement sank into Sally's skin, each breath felt dense and burdensome.

The whirring machine seemed to extend further away with every inch gained. Sally's unusually high level of anxiety nearly immobilized her. It was only after Ari tapped her foot that she regained control of her senses and continued onward.

Metallic clanks filled Sally's ears causing her to freeze mid-crawl. The towering robot crossed her path, not but two feet from her.

The demonic glow of the visor eerily pierced the fog. The monstrosity halted just to Sally's left.

She held her breath, not daring to make any inkling of an audible signal.

The scanning light held her gaze and the robot stood unmoving.

Sally's racing heart threatened to burst from her chest. The shiver that ran down her spine was numbing.

Finally, the robot's head shifted its gaze down toward the prone freedom fighters. Sally couldn't hear anything. Only a dead silence filled her eardrums.

Mentally, Sally carved out a path to her objective, she pictured every move. Feeling her muscles tense up, she prepared for her escape.

"BIOMASS DETECTED! ELIMINATE FREEDOM FIGHTER!" A sudden and all too familiar voice rang out, breaking Sally's artificial sense of silence. Not from the closest robot but from the rear.

The SWAT-Bot that hung-over Sally quickly snapped it head back up to a straight forward position, blurting out a pre-programmed dialogue. "FREEDOM FIGHTER PRIORITY ONE. DESTROY FREEDOM FIGHTER BY ORDER OF ROBOTNIK!"

Sally rolled out from underneath the metal boot that came down just where she had been before.

She looked back at where she had left Nick and saw a torrent of blaster bolts flying in multiple directions.

Ari quickly, grabbed her by the arm and proceeded to run towards the generator. They still had a mission to accomplish.

The two freedom fighters ran furiously toward the machinery. Sally's lungs burned from the intense intake of the noxious fumes.

Sliding to a halt at the machinery's base, Ari removed the satchel charges from his backpack and handed one to Sally. They placed the explosives in the weakest points; directly under the heat exchanger and at the transformer base.

The two subsequently regrouped and made their way back towards the flurry of laser fire. As they ran Ari prepared the remote detonator.

The ram suddenly let out a wrenching heave as a blaster bolt connected with his back. Simultaneously, the adjacent explosives detonated in a deafening roar. The collapsing tower only added to chaos and confusion, kicking up additional dust, bringing visibility down to nearly zero.

The force of the shockwave knocked Sally flat on her stomach. Her forearm stung with searing hot pain as it broke her fall and took the brunt of her short skid.

Super-heated beams of plasma, zoomed over Sally's head. Each bolt produced a harsh snap as they passed by.

Sally's vision was blurred as a result of the concussive blast and she searched for her fallen comrade. The faint image of a prone figure drifted into her view. She blinked hard in an attempt to focus; every movement seemed to be delayed as if she were in a drunken stupor.

"Ari!" Sally called out to the motionless ram. "Ari!"

When she reached the body, her nostrils were filled with an excruciating stench of burnt fur and charred flesh. Sally once again tried to get Ari's attention but to no avail. His dull eyes were cast in an eternal gaze in one solitary direction and his arm outstretched with unfulfilled purpose.

Sally followed the ram's gaze. Her eyes focused the slightest bit and she saw it. The detonator.

The mobian princess pushed her battered body forward, loosely aware of the blaster bolts coming dangerously close to her body. The stray rounds kicked up dust and debris which rained down upon Sally mercilessly.

Sally's hand collided with the small plastic object; having finally reached her objective she spoke into her wrist communicator.

"Fire in the hole!"

She covered her ears as tightly as she could and depressed the button. Once more Sally's body was racked by a tremendous shockwave that pushed her back several yards.

Sally couldn't hear or see anything. She stumbled aimlessly and soon found herself on her knees. The pressure in her ears was nearly unbearable but was soon replaced by a deafening ring.

Her vision was the first sense to fully return. Once more her world was offset inducing a nauseating sense of vertigo.

She absentmindedly wiped her lip. The back of her hand felt wet in a certain way that she wasn't familiar with. Sally seemed uninterested as she inspected the back of her hand and the considerable amount of blood that had smeared across it.

Sally managed to get to her feet despite her intense dizziness. She slowly tried to organized her banal mind, only dimly aware of the events that preceded her current condition.

The communicator on Sally's wrist faintly crackled to life, garnering a curious stare.

"Princess Sally?" Nick's voice came through in a static filled signal. "Princess Sally, are you alright? Please respond!"

"I'm here," Sally responded after a few moments of painful confusion. "Where are you? What happened?"

"I'm a quarter klick north of the blast site." There was a pause, "I diverted the last few bots. Don't worry about me. Just continue on the miss-" The transmission cut to static; simultaneously the echo of a blaster rang across the open air.

Sally stumbled her way toward the cover of a nearby building to regain her bearings. She leaned into a wall and allowed herself to slide down slowly.

Her blue eyes remained focused on the wrist communicator. A familiar sense of guilt began to wrap around her body in a way that she was all too familiar with.

"Anybody out there?" Sally vainly called into the device. The wary sound of silence was her only response. She folded her head into her arms and let out a shaky breath.

After a short rest, she stood back up on weak legs. Sally pulled NICOLE from her pocket and inspected the small computer.

Aside from some superficial damage and a cracked monitor it was still fully functional. "NICOLE, enter in the coordinates of the roboticizing chamber."

"Calculating route, Sally," the computer responded in a slightly distorted voice.

Sally arrived at her destination just as the freedom fighters were preparing to detonate the charges. The group was discussing their plan to infiltrate the roboticizing chamber and extract the captive fox.

"Oh my stars," Bunnie said aloud, causing the other members to turn their attention to what she saw.

Before them stood a battered and concussed Princess. Fresh blood ran from the bridge of her nose to her top lip and her fur was matted in a tangled mess of dried blood and dirt. Her vest was charred and torn to shreds.

"What in tarnation happened, Sally-Girl?" Bunnie asked. "Are you alright?"

Sally's eyes met Bunnie's as she tried to form words, but in her concussed state she could only mutter a single phrase.

"SWAT-Bots"

"Where eez ze rest of your team, mon Princess?" Antoine asked.

Before Sally could answer, Sonic's voice crackled through the rabbit's communicator.

"Yo Bunnie! You gonna blow the charges? I'm running out of room to run!"

"On it, Sugar-hog," Bunnie replied before looking around. "I hope y'all are ready!"

Before they could detonate the ordinance, a booming robotic voice rang out at a deafening volume.

"WARNING! WANRING! EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION SECTOR ECHO 1-5!"

Suddenly the roboticizing chamber ignited in a fury of flames. The Freedom fighters watched in shock and horror when the structure subsequently exploded in a violent eruption causing the building to collapse.

As soon as they regained their bearings, a heart-wrenching cry echoed through the air.

"Miles!" Sally wept. She began to run towards the still burning rubble, but was halted by Bunnie's tight grip.

Antoine looked down the alley and saw a red glow. "Um, Madam Bunnie, I think we must be getting going, yes?"

"SWAT-Bots," Another freedom fighter said, "We better go."

"No! Not without Miles," Sally struggled and cried louder as Bunnie began to escort her away from the seen. "No let me go! Miles! MILES!"

"What about Sonic," Antione questioned.

"What about me?" Sonic asked after skidding to a stop. "Wait where's Tails?"

He looked around taking notice of Sally's weeping figure.

It was such a strange sight to see. The woman he saw before him seemed so unfamiliar to the usual calm and collected demeanor she displayed.

Sonic looked back at the smoldering rubble and noticed that the auxiliary generator was still standing. Then the sickening realization hit him with the weight of one of Robotnik's machines.

He was about to ask what happened when his ears picked up the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. Quickly he gathered Sally in his arms.

"We need to leave, now," Sonic stated in an abnormally flat manner. His usual cool exterior was replaced a cold and solemn expression as he ordered the withdrawal from the city.

Inside the roboticizing chamber, Tails stood with his back pressed against the cold glass of the roboticizer. A SWAT-Bot kept its blaster rifle trained on the fox, preventing any hopes of escape.

"Snively?" Robotnik's raspy voice asked in a calm yet condescending tone. "Why haven't you prepared the roboticizer as I requested?"

"The computer has been compromised, sir," Snively replied in a timid and quivering tone of voice. "It's being reprogrammed as we speak Dr. Robotnik."

The technological tyrant growled deeply, he imposed his towering figure of the tiny man. He relished the fear he instilled in his subject and seeing him shrink down brought the doctor a demented sense of pride.

"Tell me, Snively… What phantom sabotaged the computer system?" Robotnik's eyes bore into the dwarf.

"I'm waiting," Robotnik spat, when he didn't receive an immediate answer.

Sweat poured from Snively's head as he tried to form a coherent reply, "I… I don't know, Sir."

A squeal escaped the lackey's lips when Robotnik grabbed him by the shirt collar, bringing him nose to nose with the tyrant. "Figure it out, Snively."

"Y-yessir," he squeaked out.

Robotnik's stare intensified as he spoke, each word drew out like a blade "If this was your doing, you will pay dearly."

"Yessir," Snively uttered before being dropped to the floor. He collected himself and promptly set back to work on the computer.

Tails watched the whole exchange and couldn't help but wonder as to why someone would subject themselves to such torture. None of the freedom fighters ever treated him this way, even the few times he acted out, he was never treated harshly.

His thoughts drifted to the residents of knothole. A sudden fear unlike any he had ever felt before overtook him and despair wrapped itself around his mind.

"What if Sonic and Aunt Sally don't come for me?" Tails whispered to himself.

Robotnik's hearty laugh cut through his cerebration. "You think they're coming for you, boy?"

"You really think that those other RODENTS care about you in the slightest?!" the doctor spat, "How pathetic. You think affection towards an abomination like you is anything other than a front? A façade? My you must be more foolish than you look!"

Tails didn't want to admit it, but Robotnik's words cut deep into his soul, like blades tearing through flesh. He'd never felt ashamed of his tails until this point but doubt crept into his psyche.

It had been hours since he was taken, maybe Robotnik's words were in fact true. Perhaps he was nothing more than a burden to the freedom fighters, mainly Sally.

His Aunt Sally had given him every ounce of her free time; even reading him bedtime stories. Robotnik had to be wrong.

Tails did his best to clear his thoughts, but his doubts were hard to deny. The fear of roboticization was replaced by the fear of solitude despite his efforts to be brave.

During his torrent of thoughts, he noticed a subtle flicker of the lights. The detail seemed to go unnoticed by his captors but it garnered his intrigue.

The fox allowed his curiosity to dominate his mind, giving him reprieve from the negative thoughts that recently trouble him.

Tails imagined that the freedom fighters had something to do with lights flickering and so a small ember of hope continued to burn inside the kit. The freedom fighters were most definitely coming to his rescue. He had to believe it.

The kit breathed in heavily and slowly and began to survey the room in great detail, just as his Aunt Sally had taught him. He noticed Robotnik was grumbling in an unintelligible manner while staring at a monitor.

A small smile formed on Tails' muzzle while a simultaneous sense of pride and giddiness filled his being. He had a pretty good idea of who might be angering the tyrant in that manner, as he heard the countless stories from the hedgehog in question.

"Doctor Robotnik," Snively announced, "The computer is back in working order."

"Very good," the tyrant said slowly. "Engage the roboticizer."

"Right away, sir!" the lackey said before turning to the kit. "Any last words, pest?"

Tails formed a smirk on his face, "Yeah. Eat my dust Ro-BUTT-nik!"

With the quip the kit jumped and spun his Tails as the glass chamber began to close. He landed atop of the SWAT-Bot and with all the strength his legs could muster pushed off the robot and dove for an open ventilation shaft.

The force of the kick proved enough to knock the bot forward and into the closing chamber. The thick glass sheared the bot in half and cracked the chamber's face.

A blaring voice filled Tails' ears. "WARNING! WANRING! EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION SECTOR ECHO 1-5!"

Robotnik bellowed with an immense amount of hatred, "Destroy that Fox!"

Tails felt an indescribable amount of heat to his rear; the whole structure became searing hot. Then a loud explosion threw the air duct several yards.

Despite his concussed state, Tails crawled to escape his burning environment. He came to a rest at a junction where the duct had been split open and the metal was no longer scorching.

He was dimly aware of someone calling his name, but he wasn't sure who it was or where it even came from. Tails allowed himself to rest for a moment, before crawling his way from his metal shelter.

Tails began his trek towards the tree line despite his disorientation. He clung tight to the walls of the buildings and looked to the sky hoping to catch a glimpse at the stars through a break in the smog.

Luck proved to be on his side as he was granted a short glance at the stars. Tails applied the navigational lessons from his freedom fighter training and headed south.

The fox slid silently through the shadows, checking his surroundings every few buildings to make sure he wasn't being followed. In spite of his age, Tails remained patient with his movements; choosing each moment carefully and made his way out of the retched city and to the safety of the forest.

Taking refuge in the branches of an oak tree, Tails rested for the night.

The explosion of the roboticization chamber managed to knock out power throughout the entire city. Robotnik's production facilities ceased all activity leaving the citadel uncharacteristically silent.

From the still smoldering remains of the roboticizing chamber, a large metallic hand slowly dug up through the rubble. Robotnik tardily dug through pile enough to expose his head.

One of two hellish pupils peered from the darkness.

Gurgling on blood, Robotnik's raspy voice monologued, "I will slaughter that fox."

**Again, thank you so much for reading and if you'd be so kind, leave a review and let me know what you think! Rock on and God Bless**


	4. Wish You Were Here

**A/N Hey, Hey! What's up y'all! Here's the fourth chapter, put up in record time mind you! Anyway... I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it. It's a bit of a slower chapter, but it serves to drive the plot forward a bit. So please enjoy!**

Wish You Were Here

The forest was dark, moonlight was barely able to penetrate through the canopy. The sound of the wind rustling tree branches filled the night are and crickets joined joyously in their harmony.

The night was still, save for the small feral animals that scurried about the timberland's floor. From the low branches of a tree two tails hung lazily, being moved only by the slight breeze.

Tails rested peacefully; an occasional whimper emanated from the unmoving figure. His chest slowly rose and fell in a constant rhythm. The kit's body was smattered with a few burns and several bruises were visible under his fur. His gloves were a dark shade of grey and tattered, exposing the orange fur beneath the fabric.

A grimace tore across the feature of the sleeping fox as a shroud of darkness descended upon him. Tails began to lightly moan and writhe as he was dragged into a nightmare unlike any other.

_Tails stirred awake; the ambient noise of the forest had fallen to a hush. His pointed ears pricked at the sound of twigs snapping under foot. He was chilled to the bone when he saw an ominous red glow extending to the base of his tree._

_The robots' movements were nearly silent; unlike normal SWAT-Bots, they moved like ghosts. Tails urged his body to move but his limbs seemed to be frozen solid. Even breathing seemed like a nearly impossible task. _

_Without warning the branch gave way sending the terrified fox plummeting to the cold hard ground. The sudden shock and dump of adrenaline proved enough to grant Tails control over his body once again. _

_Immediately Tails tore through the forest crying for help. He spun his bushy appendages as fast as they could possibly go and yelled out with an unprecedented urgency. _

"_Help me!" Tails wailed, "Please! Somebody, anybody!" _

_The flying fox approached a clearing; an orange glow radiated from the opening. Tails was horrified at what he saw. The Village of Knothole was engulfed in flames. Not a single hut nor soul was spared, the flames climbed to the nearby trees igniting the timber in a hellish, uncontrolled rage._

"_NO!" Tails bellowed when he saw a pile of charred bodies congregated into a sloppy pile. _

_He darted to his left to escape the inferno, but the flames chased after him all the same, consuming everything in its wake. Tails pushed himself further and harder than he'd ever done before, but it still wasn't enough._

_A well-placed blaster bolt shot searing pain through one of his tails, sending the hapless fox hurling toward the ground. Despite the injury, Tails managed to gain his footing after his tumble._

_The fugitive fox continued to run as fast as he could, utterly ignoring the searing ache in his tail. His lungs burnt with fury and exhaustion, but despite his body's protest, Tails pressed onward._

_In the distance a lone figure stood unmoving. _

"_Run!" Tails tried desperately to warn the mysterious being but to no avail._

_The closer Tails came to the unmoving figure, the silhouette began to take on a familiar shape._

"_Aunt Sally?" Tails asked, coming to a stop just before the chipmunk. "Aunt Sally is that you?"_

_Sobbing was the only response that he heard; the woman still had her back turned to Tails. He asked again with more distraught manner. "Aunt Sally?" _

_Finally, the woman turned around to face the young fox; It was indeed the princess herself. Her weeping expression morphed to one of extreme anger and hatred when she saw Tails._

"_You?" Sally spat, venom dripping from her words, "You did this to us!"_

_Tails slowly retreated backward, unable to tear his eyes from Sally's hateful gaze._

"_Why?" She cried as more tears poured down her cheeks, "Why did you betray us?!"_

_The distraught fox fell onto his back as Sally pursued and towered over him. Her hands were balled into tight fists as she trembled with unimaginable rage. _

"_Here he is!" Sally yelled waiving to the pursuant SWAT-Bots. "The traitorous Miles Prower!" _

_She looked down at the fox once more and with all the malice she could muster, she whispered, "You did this."_

_Tails shielded his eyes as several blaster bolts tore through Sally's figure. When he looked upon Sally's unmoving body the will to keep moving left him and he fell to the ground in defeat. _

_The SWAT-Bots grabbed the exhausted kit. His head hung low and tears poured form his eyes. He was promptly brought back to the retched city he had previously escaped from. _

_Tails closed his eyes as he was dragged through the various buildings until a chilling voice called out his name._

"_Hello, Miles," Robotnik said with a demented grin. _

_The fox refused to acknowledge the tyrant's presence, much to his annoyance._

"_My, did your friends never teach you any manners, boy?" Robotnik asked in a beckoning manner, "Perhaps we should ask them!"_

_Tails lifted his head and was aghast to see the remaining freedom fighters; each inside a glass chamber. _

_The fox's breath left his lungs as he watched Sonic slowly turn towards him. The same disdain filled glare he received from Sally._

"_This is all your fault!" Sonic hollered with a furrowed brow as he began to beat on the glass._

_Those words broke Tails down. _

"_I'm sorry," Tails whimpered, casting a longing glance toward the hedgehog._

"_I HATE YOU!" Sonic screamed as he was transformed into a robot._

Tails jerked awake and fell from his refuge landing flat on his stomach with a dull thud. He sat himself against the base of the tree to catch his breath. Sonic's last words still echoed in his mind, making him physically wince.

Through an opening, Tails could see the horizon was splashed with red and orange pastels as the sun creeped into view; much to his relief.

A deep, low and lengthy growl roared from his belly and he realized just how famished he really was. Nonetheless, Tails pulled himself up and continued his trek to the south.

Under the cover of the canopy, the air was cool and slightly humid. The serenity did bring a sense of familiarity and comfort despite the current situation. The sound of trickling water caught his ear and he eagerly searched for the strait.

The small stream was shallow but clear with minnows clustered together close to the bank. Berry bushes were scattered across the banks; to Tails the oasis was solid gold real-estate.

He filled his cupped hands with water and drank greedily. After quenching his thirst, Tails proceeded to pluck blackberries from one of the bushes. The unripe fruit was bitter but the kit was undeterred, before long Tails muzzle was slightly stained from his unruly manner.

With his stomach satisfied for the time being, Tails took one last drink of water before he continued his trek. He checked for sunlight through swaying branches of the tree top to make sure he was southbound.

After what seemed like hours of wandering through the wilderness, Tails began to develop an ominous feeling that he was being watched or followed. Initially, he chocked it up to his imagination and pressed forward, but the feeling still gnawed at him

The fox's body froze and his ears rotated to the rear when he heard an unnatural rustle from the tree branches behind him. Tails mentally carved out a winding path of escape from the unseen danger as he scanned the area in front of him.

Before he could react, a musty stench, reminiscent of rotten vegetables, wafted into Tails' nose causing his face to wrinkle. The fox pressed onward simply to escape the smell, but about 50 feet behind the kit, a skunk crouched on a thick tree branch.

The mobian's green attire allowed him to vaguely blend into the environment. He pulled a crude drawing from his jacket pocket. A poorly drawn fox dominated the canvas with several notes scribbled under the figure.

"Orange fur, white muzzle and torso, blue eyes, red and white sneakers," The notes read in a barely legible manner. However one such note was written in bold, intense letters, "TWO TAILS."

"That's him, alright," the skunk whispered to himself as he proceeded in Tails' direction.

Knothole was quiescent; the sun lazily cast its rays down upon the clearing where the secret hamlet resided. Even at midday the community was abnormally absent of its residents completing their daily tasks.

The loss of life plunged the small colony into a deep state of sorrow that seemed to have an affect the wildlife. The usual cheerful songbirds were uncharacteristically quiet and even the sunshine, while bright, seemed to lack its warmth.

Sonic sat on his bed deep in thought. The center of the ceiling held the hedgehog's cold, blank stare.

"I should've been faster," Sonic whispered to no one in particular.

A crushing sense of guilt almost seemed to physically press against his chest. He'd never felt more defeated than he did right now. Tears pressed against Sonic's eyes while his jaw clenched and cramped as he did his best to abstain from crying.

Internally, Sonic chastised himself for nearly breaking down and hiding in his hut. He needed to be strong for Sally and the others but he just couldn't bring himself to look them in the eye. The sting was still entirely too fresh to even attempt to put up a front in the face of the other freedom fighters. So in his shame, he retreated to the privacy of his domicile.

He hadn't even checked on Sally after he dropped her off at the infirmary. Sonic's shame grew all the more intense as his thoughts continued to ravage his mind.

He cast a wayward glance out his window seeing the empty dirt hockey rink. Tails' infectious laughter echoed in Sonic's mind as he saw a vision of himself teaching the young kit the basics of the sport.

"_Wow, Sonic!" Tails squealed with glee, "Can you teach me how to do that?!"_

"_I don't know Tails," Sonic said with a concerned tone of voice, "You think you're up to the challenge, little bro?"_

"_I know I am!" Tails exclaimed with a confidence that mirrored the blue hedgehog._

_Sonic smiled and folded his arms, "Alright, big guy. Let's see what you got!"_

_Tails reared the stick back and with as much force as he could muster, collided the blade of the stick with the puck. The impact sounded off with an audible slap and the puck sailed directly into the center of the makeshift net._

"_Goal!" Sonic vociferated. He scooped up Tails and placed him on his shoulders while he paraded around the rink._

"_That was pretty cool, huh, Sonic?" _

"Way Past," Sonic said aloud as the memory came to a close.

His gaze stayed focused on the hockey rink and he felt the first tear escape. In a manner so unlike him, Sonic didn't attempt to stem the flow.

Sally stared absentmindedly at the bandages that clung to her arm. She knew sonic had dropped her off at the infirmary and that Dr. Quack had addressed her various injuries. He'd mentioned something about lacerations on her arm and a mild concussion, but truth be told she was never really listening.

Thoughts of her failure kept Sally awake the entire night and compressed her mind like a vice. Robotnik's power grid had been crippled, but the lives of those under her command heavily outweighed the successful aspects of the operation.

Sally's thoughts began to wander, imagining what she could have and should have done differently. She continuously repeated the scenario in her mind, but despite how many times she played it out in her head the result came back the same.

No matter what she did differently, her team was still destroyed and Tails… Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Sally did her best to avoid thinking about the young kit, but despite her own attempts at distraction, the fox still penetrated her mind.

A sob escaped her lips and her hand rose to cover her mouth as the tears began to pour. Sally's body trembled uncontrollably as the image of Tails began to flood her mind.

A gentle grasp wrapped around Sally's figure and she leaned into Bunnie's embrace.

"Why'd this have to happen?" Sally choked out.

"I don't know sugar," Bunnie replied through tears of her own.

"I should've been there," Sally wept, "This was all my fault."

"There wasn't nothing we could've done, Sally=Girl," Bunnie whispered as she wiped at her own tears with her free hand.

"But, Nick and the others," Sally began to protest.

"Hush now, darling," Bunnie gently cut her off, "This wasn't anybody's fault. You know that."

Sally stayed silent aside from her whimpers and sobs, but Bunnie was there through it all. She kept the exhausted princess in her grasp until she cried herself to sleep.

The sound of thunder caused Sally to stir awake. She found herself resting in her bed with a blanket gently draped over her. Her window hung open allowing the scent of rain to drift into the room.

On her nightstand was a roll of thick white bandages and a note from Dr. Quack, in which he instructed her to change them out every few hours. Sally noticed the stain on the current gauze where the blood had nearly seeped through.

The cloth was removed with ease and she had her first real glimpse at her arm's injury. It was a deep gouge that ran along her forearm that continued to weep; although the bleeding had stopped. Sally applied an anti-bacterial ointment to the cloth and wrapped it tightly around her arm.

"Hey," Sonic said softly from the doorway, rain still dripping from his quills.

"Hey," Sally offered him a weak smile and patted the bed beside her. "Come on in."

Sonic joined her causing the wooden frame to creak under their combined weight. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm around Sally's shoulder.

The two were quiet for a time, Sally simply rested her head on Sonic's shoulder as his grip subtly tightened. His presence was immensely comforting, even if the sensation only lasted for a short while before the harsh reality set back in.

Sally broke the silence softly, "I wish he was here."

Sonic's throat tightened at Sally's words. He squeezed her a little tighter and whispered, "Me too, Sal… Me too."

The pair once more fell silent and simply listened to the rain that droned on behind them and the thunder that softly rolled in the distance. After a while a chill drifted into the room causing Sally to shiver. Sonic promptly shut the window and suggested Sally get some rest.

She watched as the hedgehog began to depart but before he was out of reach, Sally grabbed his hand.

"Sonic?" Sally beckoned. "Would… Would you mind staying with me tonight? I… I don't want to be alone."

Her tone was heartbreaking and her blue eyes pierced his very soul. He replied with a gentle smile, "Sure thing, Sal."

Sonic climbed into the small bed and Sally nestled under his arm and rested her head on his chest. His heartbeat provided a steady rhythm that she found calming. Before long, the pulse of Sonic's heart lulled Sally into a peaceful sleep.

The thick storm clouds blocked out the moon and any ambient light that would seep through the canopy overhead. In the current condition, visibility was extremely limited; luckily Tails' eyes acclimated to the darkness to some degree despite his nearly pitch black surroundings.

Rainwater ran continuously from the foliage as Tails continued to march through the cold. The top of the trees provided little shelter from the onslaught of rain and cold that seeped into the fox's fur.

Tails crossed his arms across his chest in a futile attempt to keep warm. The waterlogged fur of his muzzle drooped down in a fashion reminiscent of a horseshoe mustache.

Tails feet sank into the mud with every step as the viscous mixture threatened to rob the fox of his shoes and socks. Exhaustion began to ebb away at the kit and he looked for a place to rest for the night.

A low hanging branch reached out from a tree providing an enticing shelter from the rain. Tails settled under the cluster of leaves and shook the water from his fur. While his pelt was still damp it provided a small sense of relief.

Tails sat on the damp patch of ground and rested his head against the thin trunk of the tree. The sky flashed a fluorescent blue causing Tails to shudder in preparation of the thunder that was to come.

Seconds later the thunder roared overhead, but something was off. A subtle vibration coursed through the sapling, one that didn't coincide with the lengthy rumble.

Tails searched for the source of the anomaly and ran his hands up the trunk until he felt a small rod that had embedded itself in the thin trunk. Squinting his eyes in order to focus, he came the startling realization. It was an arrow.

Tails heard an audible whistle as another bolt flew by. All his exhaustion seemed to depart from him and Tails began to run in the opposite direction.

He took shelter behind the rotund base of an oak. Tails' ears once again twisted and folded toward the rear. Over the rain and wind, he could hear the mysterious assailant in pursuit.

The fox spun his tails vigorously, churning up mass amount of mud and flinging the substance behind him. He used the tactic as a means of distraction as he took off running in a zig-zag pattern.

Tails continued to run and even occasionally ascended to the branches of a tree in an attempt to minimize his tracks and visibility. The usually remedial flight was extremely taxing due to the excessive water that weighed heavily upon his fur.

With virtually no means of aerial escape, Tails was forced to cling to the ground and he continued to sprint as fast as he could.

Hot pain suddenly shot through Tails' ankle as he stepped awkwardly on an exposed root, causing him to fall down an adjacent riverbank. He continued to roll and was subsequently drenched in thick mud that could pass as a natural ghillie suit.

He eventually came to a stop at the bank of a wide mouthed river. Tails quickly dug a small hole and concealed himself in the mixture of mire and fallen leaves. He buried his muzzle in the muck and tucked his tails under his body to camouflage any exposed fur; while the flow of the water drowned out the sound of his breathing.

A pair of boots then slammed down just in front of the kit. The figure paused before rotatimg in several directions trying to pick up the fox's trail.

Upon a flash of lighting, Tails was able to make out a set of thick, green fatigues and what appeared to be a wrist mounted crossbow on his right arm. When the figure squatted down, a familiar stench made its way into Tails' nose causing his eyes to widen. He really was being followed.

The skunk traced his finger through the mud and examined the substance before wiping his finger on his clothes. He rose to full height and pulled an old radio from his back pocket. "I've lost his trail, doctor."

The voice that echoed in reply sent shivers down Tails' spine. "I suggest you find him. For your sake, I hope you bring that fox in ALIVE!"

"Yessir," The skunk replied curtly before placing the radio back into his pocket.

Tails stayed in hiding even long after the skunk had departed down river. The realization made him sick to his stomach. Robotnik was still alive and worse than that, a mobian was at his aid.

**So there was the fourth chapter! This one was actually a bit challenging to write with trying to open up Sonic's character a bit. Please let me know what you think in the reviews. Also bonus points to whoever gets the two major references in this chapter. **

**The first reference is actually the song that inspired a couple scenes as well as the title of this chapter, the song being "Wish You Were Here" By Pink Floyd. The second reference, some of you may get right away; if you do, please don't spoil it!**

**Anyway, thanks again for reading! And as always, rock on and God Bless! **


	5. New Revelations

**A/N What's going on y'all? Here is the fifth chapter of my story. I am very excited to bring this chapter to life, it actually contains the scene that I had in my head that started it all! Antoine's dialogue provided a bit of a challenge in this chapter, especially considering I have an Oklahoma-ish accent. Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope y'all enjoy it as well.**

New Revelations

Antoine stirred in his bed, something weighed heavily of the coyote's mind. A question had burned itself in the back of his conscience and kept him awake most of the night. Who would kidnap a child and deliver him to Robotnik and why?

The coyote readied himself before the morning's first light. The storm clouds from the night before still hung in the air but only allotted a small drizzle to the world below. He departed his hut with a pad of paper and a pencil, his first order of business was to survey Tails' hut.

Although Princess Sally had never specified, Antoine suspected some form of a traitor. The very thought of such a loathsome individual filled him with a deep, seething anger.

Despite his faults, Antoine was amongst the most loyal members of the former Acorn Kingdom. His father served in the Royal Army and later the Royal Guard as his father had done before him.

Antione was going to be no exception, however his lack of fortitude in the field relegated his service strictly as a palace guard. Despite the more symbolic role of his service, Antione still wore his uniform with care and pride.

Though his time in service to the king was short lived, due to Robotnik's usurp of power, the coyote developed a keen eye for detail. In addition, he grew accustomed to reading body language to the point that his unseen skill was unmatched among his peers.

Sally had seemed rather apprehensive after she and Sonic met with Sir Charles. He wasn't sure what, but Antoine was certain that the Princess failed to relay specific details of the situation.

Antoine's thoughts came to a close when he approached the front door of Tails' hut. He used the pad of paper to gently push open the door and stepped inside.

There were several scents that all mixed together, but his sensitive olfaction was able to discern each individual odor. Antoine hastily wrote down each smell he could identify.

The first stench was the most obvious, being fox urine, the putrid stench still hung stagnantly in the air. The next was mold, most likely stemming from the soggy wood and unattended bed sheets. The list continued with more ordinary scents from the tracked in mud, and the already discovered rag.

There was an unusual, putrid, stink that lingered though, one he could not immediately recognize. Antoine tapped his lip with the pencil as he dug through his memory in an attempt to identify the smell.

Something in the coyote's peripheral vision drew his attention out the window. Just within line of sight, at the edge of the tree line, an unfamiliar figure seemed to be roaming around. Antoine checked to make sure he had his sabre hilted at his side before he headed out to confront the mysterious creature.

The darkened sky gave Antoine a sense of ease as his blue jacket wouldn't reflect brightly as it was designed to. Slowly, he made his way through the huts, not once breaking visual contact for more than a few seconds.

"Can I help you, mate?" The figure called out, "It's rather unbecoming of a gentleman to sneak up on another, wouldn't you agree?"

Antoine was surprised by the other's awareness and stepped out into the open. "You must forgive me mon ami," he spoke, raising the palm of his hands. "Eet is not so often that we have veesitors."

The coyote sized up the character in front of him. It was a skunk dressed in green fatigues, heavy black boots, and a purple beret adorned with an Acorn Kingdom insignia. Antoine knew of only one outfit with that uniform, the special operations unit of the Royal Army.

"You are a member of ze King's Secret Service, non?" Antoine asked.

"That is correct," The skunk pompously replied, "But I must admit, you've got a pretty good set of eyes on you ole' boy. Not too many folks would have been able to see me from as far away as you did."

Antoine was notably impressed with the mobian, but only more questions arose in his mind as he continued to look over the skunk. Who exactly was this? Was he spy, a bounty hunter? What was his purpose?

"Tssk, where are mon manners?" Antoine scolded himself out loud and stuck out his hand, "I am Antoine D'Coolette, member of ze Royal Guard and of ze Knothole Freedom Fighters."

"First Lieutenant, Geoffrey St. John," The skunk reciprocated the gesture and shook his hand.

"Tell me lieutenant," Antoine began, "What brings you to our, how you say, neck of ze woods? What is your official business?"

St. John narrowed his eyes the slightest bit. "I'm afraid I can't say."

The coyote nodded in acknowledgement, "I see. Please forgive mon intrusion into your affairs. I cannot help but remain a bit… skeptical."

St. John leaned back a bit and crossed his arms, "Any particular reason?"

"It is mon duty to protect zis village," Antoine stated. Something seemed strange about the skunk's presence. "One would it find it difficult to imagine ze Secret Service continuing wizout ze official orders with no command, yes?"

"I understand your concern," St. John responded and scoured Antoine's uniform, "Commander D'Coolette. But the fact remains, mate, that my chain of command is external from yours and the manner of my work is confidential."

"Zen surely, you would be able to tell me ze name of your commanding officer, yes?" Antoine continued to press. "After all it has been no short time since ze fall of ze King Maximilien Acorn. Do not zink zat I do not know ze conduct of ze military."

Geoffrey's eyes were intensely locked with Antoine's and his body began to tense. The perturbation continued to grow with the Skunk's prolonged silence.

"I am waiting for ze answer, Lieutenant," Antoine stated in a more threatening tone. "Just as you stated, you are outside of ze Secret Service's jurisdiction. Knothole is under ze direction of Sally Alicia Acorn, ze Royal Princess herself. So again I request zat you state your official business."

"I beg your pardon, Commander," St. John responded in a more submissive manner. "I was tasked with searching for other communities to establish trade with. I simply serve as a reconnaissance operator for the remaining Secret Service."

The coyote narrowed his eyes, "So you are a spy of ze sorts?"

"Just what exactly do you mean by that, Commander?" St. John snarled.

"You provide ze reconnaissance, do you not?" Antoine asked with an accusatory finger, "We have resided here since Robotneek's coup de tat d'état and we have not once encountered any other nearby colonies. If you are as you say, how is your commander unaware of ze presence of ze Princess?"

"You snotty, little, runt," the skunk hissed and turned his back to Antoine.

Before Antoine could react, a putrid stench assaulted his nostrils. The coyote was left coughing and his eyes began to violently sting from the rank cloud that enveloped him. The surprise attack had left him nearly incapacitated, allowing St. John to disappear into the maze of trees.

Hearing the commotion, Bunnie had exited her hut to investigate. Upon seeing Antoine on all fours, she immediately came to the coyote's aid.

"Good-NESS Antoine!" Bunnie exclaimed as she waived her hand in front of her nose.

Antoine tried to speak but in his overwhelmed state he was unable to form a coherent sentence.

The rabbit placed herself under the coyote's arm and helped him stand. "Come on Sugar, let's get you cleaned up."

By midday the clouds had partially dispersed and the sunshine had barely begun to break through the tree tops.

Tails continued his trek through the endless trees. He had cleaned off most of the muck from the night before but several dried clumps still stubbornly clung to his fur.

The kit's blue eyes were dull and bloodshot, his normally bright and fluffy pelt was matted and lacked its usual vibrance. The hot pain that tore through his ankle was nearly intolerable and his stomach complained constantly.

"I just gotta make it back home," Tails tiredly said to himself. "Just a little further, that's all. I'm almost there."

It was a mantra he had repeated to himself for several hours already, but the harsh truth was that he had no idea where on Mobius he was. Tails tried to keep a positive attitude, but he could feel his hope slowly giving way to the doubt that chipped away at his soul.

The further he walked the more he let his mind wander away from the situation at hand. His youthful mind conjured up a scenario where he actually knew his parents and a world without Robotnik.

Tails imagined having a full-sized home in Mobotropolis with a mom and a dad; but a frown pulled harshly at his lips and an all too familiar sense of emptiness crept into his heart. Reality always had a way of tearing dreams down.

Sally had always been delicate with the subject of Tails parents; even more so the few times that he had asked about them. She'd told him how he was found and brought back to knothole when he was a baby and Sally had always showered him with affection, but it never truly filled the void.

A sickening question wrestled its way into the kit's mind. What if Robotnik was right? Had his parents really abandoned him?

Tails sat down underneath a tree and pulled his knees to his chest as the thought set in. He looked down at his tails that wrapped around himself and he felt the sting of tears pressing against his eyes.

"I… I want my mommy," Tails admitted as the tears finally began to fall.

It wasn't the first time he'd felt this alone and isolated. There were many nights that he'd laid awake questioning if he really meant anything to anybody. Tails had pretended that being the on his own during the day didn't bother him; most of the time it was true.

There were times however, when no one would even give him the time of day. Tails did his best to understand that there were "Adult Matters" to attend to, but it did little to combat the loneliness that occasionally crept in.

When the lonesomeness was more than the young boy could bare, he would head to the place that only Sonic or Sally could find him. The weeping willow tree at the lake of rings provided Tails shelter from the world.

One such day, an errand puck sailed through the window of a nearby hut. Miss Isabella was furious.

_The old mongoose stormed out of the hut wildly waving her cane at the young boy. "Watch where you're throwing those pucks, you freakish brat!" _

"_I'm sorry," Tails attempted to apologize, but his outstretched hand was struck by the wooden cane._

_The young fox carelessly dropped his hockey stick and fled the rink clutching his hand. _

_Tails dipped his paw into the cool water of the ring pool in an effort to sooth his throbbing pain, but it provided little relief. The thing he wanted most was to disappear from the world, so he climbed into the dangling leaves of the weeping willow. _

_He stayed there the rest of the day even as the sun began to sink below the horizon. Tails took note of the pastels that painted the sky, for Sally had previously instructed him to come home to his hut by sunset, but the fox refused to budge. _

_Miss Isabella's words stung far worse than her punishment ever could. He wasn't a brat and he wasn't a freak. Was he?_

_Her words tormented Tails' youthful mind to the point that he'd lost track of time and soon the landscape was dark._

_Fearing even more punishment, Tails began to whimper. His body began to shiver and quake as the warmth of the day faded with the sun._

_Tails ceased his crying and held his breath at the sound of footsteps. A gentle yet concerned voice called out his name. A sniffle escaped from the fox and Tails watched his Aunt Sally turn towards him. _

_The chipmunk slowly peered through the branches. There wasn't a trace of anger in her expression._

"_Tails?" Sally questioned as her gaze fell upon the kit. "What are you doing out here, honey? It's cold."_

_Tails remained silent and avoided making eye contact with the princess and continued to clutch at his still aching hand. Sally climbed into the tree and knelt before the fox and looked up at him._

"_Hey," Sally whispered and gently cupped Tails' chin forcing him to look at her. "It's okay," She said with a smile._

"_But Miss Isabella," Tails started._

"_Was wrong to hit you," Sally finished his sentence, "It was wrong to hit you and call you such a nasty name."_

_The kit's face melted into crying frown and reached out his arms. Sally hugged him and gently rocked until the tears ceased. _

"_Now," Sally said once she released the child, "let me see your hand."_

_Tails obeyed and showed her the injury. Sally began to feel around the his hand, there was no real damage aside from a sizable bruise._

"_Well it's not broken," Sally stated and kissed his hand. "There, that feel better?"_

_Tails simply nodded in response and wiped away his few remaining tears._

"_Okay," Sally said, gently grabbing his hand, "come on."_

Tails missed Sally's soft voice and her the comfort she brought. He whispered with teary eyes, "I wanna go home."

After a few minutes, Tails calmed himself to the point that he could stand. He swiped at his eyes and nose.

"Come on, you wouldn't want Sonic to see you cry," Tails told himself before continuing on his way.

Sunshine poured into Sally's hut from the uncovered window. She felt so strange as she had stayed in bed most of the day. She didn't even get up for breakfast or to accomplish any routine tasks.

Deciding against becoming a recluse, Sally drew in a deep breath before she slipped into her boots and vest. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

The rips and burns that covered the garment reminded her of the previous night's events; a memory she wished never to be reminded of again. She looked over her figure and noticed the condition of her fur and opted to bathe before setting out.

Hot water blasted from the shower head and Sally stepped into the steaming stall. She cast the used bandages into the waste bin. She hissed in pain as the water ran over her exposed wound.

The princess gently washed her frame, working away the knots in her fur and lightly washed her forearm. The longer she allowed her body to soak the more the stress seemed to melt from her mind.

When Sally was satisfied with the state of her appearance, she exited the shower. With a towel wrapped around herself, Sally looked in her mirror; her image was hidden by a cloud of condensation.

She slowly wiped away the shroud and staring back at her was a messy reflection. Sally couldn't help but look away, all she saw was a failure.

She'd failed as a leader, as a freedom fighter, as a friend, and most of all as a caretaker.

"Ugh, was Antoine cooking those snails again?" Sonic's voice tore Sally from her thoughts.

"Non, you fuel!" Antoine retorted, "I was not cooking escargot! I was attacked early zis morning!"

The conversation stirred Sally's genuine curiosity and she hastily made herself decent.

"Attacked?" Sonic scoffed, "By what? A stinkbug?"

"Very funny, Sonic," the coyote grumbled, "I was attacked by a skunk!"

"Well, that would explain the smell," Rotor chimed in.

"Oui," Antoine stated matter-of-factly, "It was a skunk by ze name of Geoffrey St. John. He said zat he was a member of ze King's Secret Service. His uniform certainly looked ze part."

Sally spoke up as she approached the group, "The Secret Service? I would have thought they disbanded after Robotnik took over."

"One would zink so, mon Princess," Antoine answered, "I believe zat he is a, how you say, bounty hunter, of ze sorts. I believe zat he has somezing to do wiz ze disappearance of young Tails."

A hush fell over the assembly.

"What makes you say that, Suga-Twan?" Bunnie asked.

"Ze skunk was on ze outer side of ze village before ze morning's first light. When I asked about his official business, he was rather reluctant to release zuch information," Antoine explained. "When ze explanation made none of ze sense, I asked for more information. And in response ze skunk… sprayed me."

"I'm confused," Sally interjected, "How does that have anything to do with Tails being kidnapped?"

"Ze scent of a skunk is in Tails' hut." Antoine further explained.

Sonic crossed his arms and raised one brow, "I didn't smell nothing like this though, Ant."

"Zat is because you lack ze smell, Sonic," The coyote retorted. "Zat skunk was there when Tails went missing."

"You're certain?" Sally asked.

The coyote nodded, "Oui, mon Princess."

Sally sighed heavily, "Well if this is true, then he knows where to find Knothole."

"That's not good," Rotor stated the obvious, "He could hand pretty much hand us over to Robotnik on a silver platter."

"Rotor's right," Sonic said and scratched his chin. "We need to form a team to track that skunk down."

"Surprisingly, Sonic is correct," Sally quipped and shot the hedgehog a sly look.

"You know it!" Sonic flashed a wink and thumbs up. "Alright; Antoine, Bunnie and I will start looking for this double crosser!"

"You want moi to come wiz you? I do believe I have ze business to attend to here, yes?" Antoine tried to explain.

Sonic rolled his eyes, "Look 'Twan, you said it yourself that you're the one with the nose, right? So I'll need you to track him down and Bunnie for the extra muscle when we find him."

"What can I do to help?" Sally asked.

"Sal, you and Rot' stay behind and keep things running here. Nobody needs to know about what's going down so just keep the ole' village running smooth."

"You got it, Sonic," Rotor answered with a thumbs up of his own.

"Well," Sonic said while impatiently tapping his foot, "It's juice time!"

Sally stopped the blue speedster and gave him quick peck on the cheek, "Be careful, Sonic."

"Can do, Sal."

Sally watched as the three freedom fighters departed towards the tree line. A sense of worry and dread filled her body and she felt utterly helpless.

A squishy arm wrapped around her shoulder gave her a small squeeze. She reached up and patted Rotor's hand and gave him a thankful smile.

"You okay, Sally?" Rotor asked.

She nodded but found it hard to speak. The words were caught in her throat and they refused to release.

"I'll be fine," Sally finally choked out, her words were little more than a whisper. "I'm just going to go for a walk."

She initially walked around the outskirts of the village. Sally checked Tails' hiding spots one more time just in case this was all some strange nightmare,. She desperately hoped that maybe, just maybe, she'd find him hiding out somewhere, completely unharmed.

When her search proved to be in vain, as she expected, Sally simply allowed her legs to carry her with no particular sense of direction. The emptiness that made her heart ache returned as she wandered and the sorrow that had wrapped around her resurfaced with greater affect.

Her body felt cold despite the relative warmth of the late afternoon. The wind blew stray leaves past her feet and the gust seemed to usher her forward just as she was about to turn back. Sally stared at the forest ahead, she wasn't sure what, but something beckoned her further.

A sense of familiarity rose up in the princess as she continued her short journey. The sound of a flowing stream drew her deeper into the wooded maze.

Sally looked down at her reflection in the ever-flowing river. She lifted her head in the direction of the cry she'd heard so many years ago.

Sally felt a fresh wave of heart ache as the tree that meant so much to her had been destroyed. The once mighty oak laid fallen and defeated. The splintered ends and expansive charred section of the stump made it obvious that it had been struck by lightning.

She knelt down before the slain giant. The bough that had harbored such a bright life was bare and empty. Sally couldn't help but weep at the sight and the thought of what she had lost.

The sun began to fade beyond the trees overhead. As Tails continued to trek through the forest more light was able to penetrate through the canopy as the trees began to drift apart.

His ankle had swollen and was filled with searing pain. The fox's stomach continued its incessant demands and his exhausted body pleaded for rest. The sound of brook caught the boy's attention giving him the motivation to push just a little further and promised relief for his parched throat.

The river that he came upon was vastly wider than he'd expected. Tails knelt down and took several long drinks of the cold water. It was the first sense of relief he'd experienced all day and the fox relished the cool refreshment.

With his thirst quenched Tails slowly hovered over the water to the opposite side of the river. He let forth a giggle at the sloshy sound his feet made when he landed in the saturated grass.

When he looked down at the river, he caught sight of his reflection. It was the first time he'd stopped to notice it. The fox that he saw staring back at him seemed different in a way.

Tails' reflection almost seemed feral in appearance. The fur on his muzzle was filthy and unkept, the ice white had been replaced by a grayish tint from the dirt that had trapped itself. His eyes looked tired and wary and the common plumpness of his belly had flattened out considerably.

The box bared his teeth and formed his face into an angry snarl. The image was actually rather unsettling to Tails. What if Aunt Sally didn't recognize him? How long had he been gone anyway?

The aching rumble of his stomach broke Tails from his stupor when a faint scent wafted into his nose. It was a wonderful concoction, it was sweet and spicy, gamey and savory all at the same time. It was a smell he recognized almost instantly; roasted salmon, one of his favorite meals.

Tails eagerly tried to follow the scent. The further he walked the more distinct the smell became; it was a heavenly aroma that lead him around the curve of the river.

Tails caught sight of a fallen tree. The spectacle was beyond the boy's comprehension. The amount of force to knock down such a large oak tree was immense. Taking note of the charred markings, Tails deduced it had been struck by lightning.

His Aunt Sally had taught him about the magnificent force that was mother nature. Internally, it only served to further drive Tails' fear of lightning.

"Wow," Tails mused to himself, "way past cool."

He began walking forward once more, trying to locate the source of the wonderful scent.

"M-Miles?" A soft voice called out. It sounded like a lady on the verge of tears.

The fox froze immediately upon hearing his name. He cast a glance toward the tree.

"Miles?" The voice called out again. Then Tails saw who was calling after him.

He focused hard on this mysterious character. All feeling flooded from his body and time nearly came to a halt.

"MILES!" The woman cried out once more and rose to full height.

Tails felt every inhibition flood from his body and he became overcome with emotion at the sight. There she stood, auburn hair, chestnut fur, blue vest and boots.

Sally hurdled over the stump and began running towards the fox hollering, "Miles! Miles Prower!"

"Aunt Sally!" Tails finally screamed and ran as fast as he could towards the Princess.

Sally fell to her knees as she and Tails united. She wrapped her arms around the small fox, tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face into the kit's neck.

Tails hugged Sally harder than he had ever done before. He felt all of his strength leave his body and he sank into Sally's grip.

"I thought I'd never see you again!" Tails wept into her chest.

Sally couldn't find the words to speak, she simply resorted to rocking back and forth while she planted several kisses on Tails' cheek.

The first words that Sally was able to form finally fell from her mouth, "I love you so much."

Those words sank deep into Tails' ears. Suddenly the fear and doubt, that weighed so heavily upon him, fell from his shoulder and he cried harder than he could ever remember.

"Shh, it's okay honey," Sally cooed, "I've got you."

Tails clung to her for dear life as if she was a life ring in the middle of a stormy sea. Sally's beating heart and tight grip brought him the sense of comfort, security, and belonging that he so deeply longed for.

After several minutes, Tails began to calm. Sally gently lifted his chin with one and hand and wiped away his tears with the other. She leaned in and kissed right cheek, then his left and finally his nose.

The precious titter that filled her ears cause her heart to swell with affection. Sally slowly ran her hand through Tails' head fur and before long, the exhausted kit had fallen asleep in her grasp.

Tails snuggled into her chest and drowsily whispered something that she'd never forget, "I love you… Mom."

Sally couldn't hold back the smile or the tears. She leaned down and kissed the top of the kit's head and nuzzled her cheek against him. She stayed like that for several long minutes, simply soaking up the moment.

Ultimately, she rose to her feet and carried the still sleeping fox back to Knothole, just as she'd done 8 years ago.

**Well, there was the fifth chapter! The ending of this chapter actually made me a bit emotional to write as I have a fairly personal connection to it. Thank you so much for reading and if you'd be so kind, leave me a review and let me know what you think. As always, Rock on and God Bless!  
**


	6. To Whatever End

**A/N What's up y'all? Here is Chapter six, but man this chapter was a blast to write! This chapter does get just a little bit... gnarly, shall we say? So just be forewarned. I try to keep everything PG-13... This chapter dives into one of the character's perspective and history a bit and I'm hoping y'all like it!**

To Whatever End

Above the great forest the sun hurried its decent below the horizon and casted a shroud upon the landscape below. The growing shadows were an omen of the unseen dangers that hid in the pitch of night.

St. John's heart raced as he ran, his lungs burned with unprecedented intensity. The skunk shuddered at the thoughts that clouded his mind. He was no doubt, being pursued by the faction of freedom fighters he'd encountered earlier and Robotnik was certainly awaiting his arrival with unspeakable horrors if the two tailed fox was not returned alive.

St. John readied his crossbow as he came to a halt under the cover of a tree. He pondered how he'd come to find himself in such a predicament and how he'd become the very thing he once hated the most.

He studied the weapon that clung to his wrist. Despite its years of service the chrome still glimmered in the dying light. Silently, he ran his fingers across the elegantly engraved letters that spelt out his father's name. What would his father say if he could see him now?

Unlike his comrades, St. John was captured in an attempt to flee the initial blitzkrieg. Most were slaughtered outright, while some were roboticized. Taking notice of the skunk's fierce resistance and apparent experience with the military's special forces, St. John was deemed an asset and his life was spared.

In return for Robotnik's so called generosity, the skunk was sent across the globe in pursuit of a multitude of targets; something Robotnik referred to as "Tying up loose ends."

The tyrant's connections ran surprisingly deep, even preceding his usurp of power. Robotnik's short stead as the Minister of War for the Kingdom of Acorn brought with it many perks. Every politician, every dignitary, and every diplomat had a price; and so the winds of change blew ever in Robotnik's favor.

Through the interwoven corruption, Robotnik was able to obtain internationally outlawed weaponry and robotics. The spoils of his position were immense and granted him a great amount of prestige and influence. The secretly allocated funds allowed him to amass an army, while his leftover wealth proved to be enough to keep others, even within the Kingdom, silent.

When Robotnik launched his bloody coup, the kingdom as a whole was uprooted and the King and Queen were immediately terminated. The Royalty's daughter, however, had eluded capture.

Sir Charles Hedgehog, the lead developer of medical technology was fed to his own creation. The machine that he had built to aid the injured and terminally ill was corrupted and perverted by the wicked doctor. The unholy device stripped its victims of free will and converted them into lead and steel.

Within days the expansive Acorn Kingdom fell to Robotnik's control. He allowed his faithful allies to reside with a mild sense of peace, but from afar he sewed division into the isolated regions. Robotnik employed simple destabilization tactics to great effect.

When the populace of a region began to unionize and grow, Robotnik would launch a propaganda campaign against the nation's leader. St. John would be deployed to the region and suddenly a dignitary would be found dead or go missing; causing the region to descend into chaos and often civil war.

It was a vicious cycle of oppression, yet the process was so simple. Robotnik himself had once described it to St. John, "All it takes is a single lie and a pool of blood."

Those words buzzed in the skunk's head and brought his thoughts to disturbing close. It wasn't just a pool of blood; it was a river that stained his hands with a crimson shade.

An undeniable sense of shame rose through St. John's body at the thought of his father, who served in the Secret Service before him.

The elimination of high-value targets was made more bearable because of the deep-rooted corruption, but to kidnap an innocent child? Worse than that; to bring him to Robotnik? Even St. John had to admit that this was a new low.

His latest task was a sobering reminder of his grim reality and the choices that had presented themselves. Continue to serve Robotnik and further betray who he once was? Or face the wrath of the Acorn Royalty?

Ultimately, he couldn't imagine a fate worse than the former, but couldn't bring himself to face the former kingdom he was once loyal to.

Geoffrey once again admired the weapon that was once his father's. Slowly he raised the crossbow beneath his jaw, his fist began to gently constrict. Just as he was ready to release the bolt, the errand snapping of a twig pulled him from the brink and the drawing of a blade filled his ears.

In Knothole's medical hut, monotonous beeping of an archaic heart monitor droned on. Several numbers fluctuated up and down while maintaining a tight tolerance. A warm light illuminated the room and its three occupants.

Sally consulted Doctor Quack about Tails' condition. The mallard gently ran his hands across the sleeping form of the two tailed fox. He pushed his hands against all of the major joints and much to Sally's relief, there were no broken limbs.

"Well looks like aside from some pretty good burns and bruises as well as a swollen ankle, he seems fine to me," Quack stated. "If I had to guess, the lad might be a bit dehydrated and exhausted. Allow him to rest now, but when he wakes, make sure to keep his fluids up. In the meantime though, I'll have one of the others grab some ice for that ankle."

Sally beamed at the news; she felt an unimaginable weight lift off of her shoulders upon hearing the assessment.

"Thank you, Doctor," Sally said graciously while shaking his hand.

"My pleasure, Princess," The duck answered back with a warm smile of his own.

The old avian carried with him a sense of pride and charm that could only be found in the eldest members of a generation. His professionalism was unmatched, despite the limited amount of equipment.

The princess gently sank into the small chair beside Tails' cot. She listened to the kit's slow shallow breaths with a mixture of happiness and concern. Sally cast a wary glance toward the heartbeat monitor that continued to beep. If Tails was simply just exhausted, why was the extra machine necessary?

Sally shook her head and discarded the thoughts, trusting the doctor's knowledge, but it still worried her. There was still a clear and present danger, but Tails' presence brought an immense amount of comfort that helped to put her restless mind at ease.

A knock on the door broke the princess from her stupor. She looked up to see Rotor standing in the threshold with two plates of dinner and a bag of ice.

"Hey Sally, Doctor Quack asked me to…" The walrus' words trailed off and he nearly dropped the food upon seeing the unconscious two tailed fox.

Rotor had assisted with the destruction of the generator on the west side of the city, he'd only heard of the news once he arrived back at Knothole. Yet somehow after missing for nearly three days Tails had reappeared almost as if it were magic.

"I found him on the outskirts of the village," Sally preemptively answered Rotor's question. "I have no clue how he made it out of the city."

Rotor handed a plate to Sally and set the other aside and asked "Is he hurt?"

"Aside from some bruises, burns and a twisted ankle, he looks to be okay," Sally answered before taking a bite of salmon. "Poor thing is probably exhausted. He must have gotten turned around in the Great Forest."

Sally went on to explain how she'd stumbled upon the kit and brought him back home. It was nothing short of a miracle in her eyes.

After a short chat, Rotor retired to his own hut, leaving Tails and Sally alone. She place the ice on the kit's ankle and cast a concerned glance out the window. The skunk that Antoine had spoken of earlier posed a great threat to Knothole, one the Freedom Fighters might not be able to overcome.

Sonic, Bunnie, and Antoine crept their way through the endless oaks. The hedgehog had jettisoned them through the forest until the coyote's nose detected the targeted odor. The only sound was of the rustling tree branches overhead and the sloshy sound as their feet sank into the mud with every step.

A wary sense of anticipation filled their chests as they continued on their search. Sonic silently waived to the others and pointed at the ground. Outstretched before them was a faint set of tracks.

Antoine squatted down and his face wrinkled horribly at the rank odor. He nodded to confirm that these tracks belonged to the skunk they pursued.

The coyote was somewhat unsettled by the dark and aggressive expression on Sonic's face. The hedgehog gave him a slow nod as if to acknowledge his own negative emotions and the motivations that drove them.

Sonic was ready for a fight, more than that he was eager for confrontation. He'd always approached skirmishes with a sense of ease or excitement, even in the face of Robotnik, but this was different.

Every muscle in the hedgehog's body was visibly tense, waiting to unleash every available ounce of energy Sonic could spare. His fists curled in so tightly that Antoine could hear the fabric constricting, but what filled him with a sense of fear was Sonic's eyes.

The green orbs burned with an intensity unlike anything he'd ever seen. He had seen eyes similar to that in the veterans of the Great War when he was a child, but never filled with such hatred.

Bunnie noticed the uncharacteristic demeanor that Sonic carried, but she dare not speak of it. The very lack of the signature smirk was enough to fill her with unease, but in its place was a subtle frown that hid the hedgehog's clenched teeth.

The coyote raised back to full height and took point once more as the trio pressed forward.

Antoine himself was filled with a righteous anger that burned like the flame that forged his sword. He wasn't just hunting down a traitor to the crown, he was avenging the stolen innocence. Antoine was never particularly close to the young fox, but his presence brought an invaluable sense of hope in what was an overall losing battle.

That undying spirit had pulled Antoine through countless nights of contemplation. Tails' feverish hope pushed the others further and harder. The child's faith and motivation was inspiring and was priceless. Tails had never understood freedom nor had he ever truly experienced it; yet, in his own way he fought with bravery that was equal to any other freedom fighter.

Antoine had seen the spark of life fizzle out of some of his closest friends. But the extinguished embers of the bright life that was Tails, brought more anguish than he could ever imagine and It filled the coyote with even greater resolve to bring this traitor to justice.

The intense putrid stench broke Antoine from his thoughts, they were right on top of the skunk. He stuck out his hand to halt the other two freedom fighters. His nose twitched to confirm their target's presence, and he gave a slow nod.

The snapping of a twig under Sonic's foot and the subsequent drawing of Antoine's sword filled the forest air. Antoine's grip tightened on the blade's handle and he cautiously scanned the area in front of him.

A whistle blew past Sonic's ear and the blue hedgehog laid his eyes on the skunk. Sonic tore from his position in a spindash with furious speed. The large oak tore down with a mighty crash. He came sliding to a halt with his eyes fixated once more on his target.

St. John rolled to the side just as the blue speed demon once more sped overhead in a spinning disc of destruction. In one sweeping motion, he rolled to his feet and released another bolt. It was when the arrow made contact with a metal surface that he realized the blade did not accompany the hedgehog.

"Bugger," the skunk whispered to himself.

Ducking to dodge another attack from the hedgehog, he heard the cycling of the crossbow as another bolt was loaded. St. John prepared to release a bolt aimed at the blade wielding coyote, but a brute force connected with his back.

In an instant Sonic was atop the skunk and reared his arm back to deliver a crushing blow. It fell with excruciating speed, but failed to hit its mark as his hand was gently pushed aside. Sonic then felt his own momentum shift as he was bucked off by the skunk.

St. John rose to a kneeling position, ready to deliver a kill shot to the blue mobian, but a swift kick connected with the back of his head and his face was plunged into the mire below. The skunk rolled out to his right just a large silver sabre plunged into the space his body previously occupied.

The coyote's torso was left exposed and St. John readied a kill-shot. His aim was thrown off as he was once more assaulted by the spiny blue devil. The force of the latest attack sent skunk rolling several yards.

Despite his excessive conditioning, St. John found that he was rapidly losing his breath due the continued punishment. A furred hand reached down and lifted him by the collar.

The green eyes of a rabbit stared daggers back at him. "I think y'all'er done, stinker." A deceptively sweet and velvety voice spoke and a metal arm moved to restrain him.

The skunk was a man of many talents with skills that far outclassed most even in his old rank of Secret Servicemen. Unfortunately for the rabbit, he was exceptional at hand to hand combat.

St. John wrapped his arm around Bunnie's and with a straight flex of his arm, he broke Bunnie's elbow with a sickening pop. Upon being dropped, the skunk delivered a forcible kick to the rabbit's ribcage.

Bunnie crumpled to the ground with a pain-filled cry. The skunk only had milliseconds to recover before a hefty fist slammed into his face.

St. John caught a glimpse of the now rabid green eyes of the hedgehog. So THIS is the mobian that proved to be such a thorn in his handler's side. Another punch found its mark and connected directly with his snout causing blood to burst from the orifice.

The skunk felt an arm wrap around his throat and soon it was extremely difficult to breath.

"I'll bet Robotnik offered you some real shiny coin, huh?" Sonic questioned with venom dripping from his tongue.

St. John's only response was a series of palm strikes against Sonic's thigh. With the small opening, he delivered an elbow just below the hedgehog's sternum. Pooling his momentum as he turned, the skunk slammed his elbow to Sonic's jaw.

The skunk shifted slightly to his left to avoid Antoine's blade as it was thrust at his midsection. St. John rapped his arm around the coyote's neck and rammed his knee into Antoine's stomach.

St. John released the coyote and kicked him back. The wrist mounted crossbow rose and the bolt was finally released. The sound of pierced flesh echoed in the air when the arrow found its target.

Antoine fell to his back. Blood pooled around the bolt that embedded itself in his right shoulder. Despite the injury, Antoine rose back to his feet and switched his sabre to his left hand.

The blade swung through the air rather gracelessly as Antoine hacked and slashed at the skunk, who managed to backtrack out of the sabre's extended reach.

While St. John was distracted by Antoine's wild swinging, Sonic gained his footing and once more charged the skunk. His hand connected with St. John's neck; the skunk's expression told Sonic he'd indeed caught him off guard.

The thick bark of an oak tree dug harshly into St. John's back when he was crashed into the rotund bass. He tried to raise his crossbow but his arm was restrained by the hedgehog.

Sonic's breathing was heavy and labored. His hand began to tighten around the skunk's neck and he could only vaguely hear Antoine's protests. His vision tunneled upon the skunk's terrified features, Sonic was ready to end the threat right then and there, but something stopped him.

"What would Tails say if he saw you doing this?" Sonic mentally asked himself.

"He's alive," The skunk croaked. Upon hearing those words, the hedgehog's grip lightened just the slightest bit.

Sonic's expression intensified once more, "You wanna run that by me again?"

"The fox is alive," St. John said slowly, "Why do you think I came back to your village?"

"Why should I believe you?" Sonic asked viciously.

St. John's features fell and a visual amount of shame crept across his face. He'd lived the life of a selfish man; he'd abandoned his unit, his people, and his country. His actions had led to the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of innocent men, women, and children. St. John was a monster, but he didn't have to go out that way.

"I suppose you shouldn't," he admitted, "but I know what Robotnik wanted with the kid."

Sonic's brow knitted together and squinted daggers, "Spill it then."

"He wanted the kid for some kind of roboticization procedure."

Upon seeing Sonic's unamused expression, he continued, "Robotnik wanted to… Weaponize the kid. He said something about only partial procedures to maintain the natural dexterity and mobility, but with the weaponry and combat programming."

Hearing such disturbing news, Sonic unintentionally released the skunk. To his and Antoine's surprise, St. John didn't capitalize on the moment of vulnerability.

"You better get your friends back to a doctor," the skunk said, "I'm heading to the city."

Sonic's brow scrunched in confusion, "Why would you do that? You got a death wish?"

"I've been working for the doctor for quite a few years," the skunk explained, "I'd like to think that I've earned his trust somewhat."

"So then what are you going to do?" Sonic asked again. As far as he was concerned, this skunk was either on his way to die or once more betray them.

St. John looked down at his crossbow and back to Sonic, "I think you know."

Silence filled the air, there was an unspoken language among warriors. A code that could only be understood by warfighters.

"Sonic, take madam Bunnie back to Knothole," Antoine said to Sonic while his eyes remained fixated on the skunk.

"You good, Ant?" Sonic asked.

Antoine simply nodded as his sword still hung lazily in his grip. "Oui, I have some of ze unfinished business wiz ze skunk."

"Alright. Come on, Bunnie," Sonic said as he gently lifted the rabbit into his grip and ran back toward Knothole as gently as he could.

St. John watched as Sonic faded into the distance, fully aware of the coyote's intense stare. Suddenly with a swift motion, Antoine plunged his sword deep into the skunk's midsection. He flinched but he agonizing pain never befell him. With a cautious look down, St. John noticed that the blade nearly missed his flesh and only pierced his jacket.

Antoine's spoke softly but his voice carried no less ferocity. "Betray us again and I will not miss ze next time."

With the cold threat, the coyote removed his blade and turned toward the direction of Knothole. Before long Sonic returned and hauled him away.

St. John looked down at the gaping hole in his attire. "Well Geoffrey ole boy, I guess you got an opportunity to earn your father's name. If I'm gonna go down, I'll go down a St. John."

After a short trek, the skunk found himself on the outskirts of Robotropolis, the city was abnormally silent and still. The usual cloud of pollution had settled and clung to the ground.

Without the shroud of smog, the expansive canvas overhead was open for all to see. St. John stopped to take in the image of the countless stars that shone like diamonds; it was a sight to behold.

Without the excessive light pollution, he could see stars that he had never seen before. It was almost as if St. John was looking at the sky through a new set of eyes. Or perhaps it was the first time he'd stopped to notice it.

The acknowledgement of one's own mortality never failed to stir new found appreciation of the simplest of views and comforts.

Crickets chirped in a series of unsynchronized serenades and the wind blew through the branches of the trees. In the distance a wild owl hooted, its cries carried through the forest and into the skunk's open ears.

St. John reflected on the choice he was about to make and allowed himself to be eased by the song of the Great Forest. A serene sense of peace washed over his body and for the just for the briefest of moments, St. John felt free.

He breathed in deeply and removed the radio from his pocket. He stared at the primitive device and rubbed his finger across the dirt covered screen.

"Doctor Robotnik, I have returned."

The radio crackled to life with a rough voice, "Do you have the fox?"

"No, sir," St. John answered, "But I have the coordinates of the village."

The device was silent and he could picture Robotnik contemplating a response to the news.

"Very well. I will dispatch as squad of SWAT-Bots to escort you to my location."

"Roger," St. John responded flatly.

He looked down at his crossbow once more and the elegant carvings engraved upon the base of the slide. He affectionately rubbed the letters that spelt out "Ian St. John"

"To whatever end," the skunk whispered to himself.

Shortly there after, four SWAT-Bots approached him. In accordance with his usual response, St. John lifted the palms of his hands to display that he was unarmed. He was promptly escorted through the citadel to Robotnik's lair.

St. John was greeted by the vision of a large metal chair that faced away from him. A giant metal hand clung to the arm of the chair and a thick slimy voice beckoned his attention.

"Tell me my dear boy; did I not request that you bring me the fox?"

The skunk responded with a usual sense of nonchalance, "Yessir, but unfortunately the kid was able to elude my pursuit."

The chair rotated around and the sight brought him great unease upon seeing Robotnik's deformed state.

Only one eye remained and the skin on his face was blistered and charred. The tyrant's flesh hand was flattened and crushed with every digit flexing into an unnatural position. Cracked teeth were exposed in a fowl snarl when Robotnik's gaze fell upon the skunk.

"Then why have you returned?" The deformed human spoke and clumsily rose to his feet. "Do you intend to fail in this simple endeavor?"

"No sir," St. John said as he snapped to attention, "I wished to atone for my incompetence by delivering you the coordinates of the Freedom Fighter's village."

A long, low growl escaped the tyrant as he slowly approached St. John. "Well?" Robotnik asked with irritation, "Where is it?"

St. John produced a piece of paper with sloppy handwriting. Two lengthy numbers stretched across the page and Robotnik ripped it away from him. With a lengthy scowl, Robotnik turned back towards his computer and plugged in the coordinates.

43.4501 Degrees North; 87.2220 Degrees West.

Time slowed to a crawl as St. John watched the computer produce an image of a large body of water. Several memories ran through his mind in the blink of an eye.

Visions of his old lover flashed before him as did his closest friends, and comforting images of his mother and father. Geoffrey heard his father's voice clear as day.

"When cities burn and armies turn and flee in disarray, cowards will cry: 'Tis best to fly and fight another day.' But warriors know in their marrow when they die and fall, 'tis best to have fought and lost than to have never fought at all."

The author of the poem remained a mystery, but to the skunk it never mattered. Geoffrey St. John knew what he came here to do. He came to fight and die for the country he once called his own.

"To whatever end," he whispered aloud.

Just as Robotnik turned around, St. John released an arrow aimed for the heart of the obese dictator.

The bolt found its mark with impeccable accuracy and the skunk launched into a fury as the surrounding SWAT-Bots descended upon him.

St. John robbed the one of the bots of a blaster and set upon destroying as many of the machines as he could. He fought with unseen ferocity and speed, but ultimately, he was subdued.

One of the robot's hand collided with St. John's and with an audible crunch, the skunk's wrist was folded into an excruciating hyper-extension. With a subsequent blow to his ankle, he was forced to his knees.

"STOP!" Robotnik's voice raged over the commotion, much to St. John's dismay.

The tyrant's metal arm removed the bolt from his chest and his face surprisingly wasn't of anger, but of deranged amusement.

"My, my," The raspy voice filled the now silent chamber. "I didn't think you had it in you, boy."

"H-how?" St. John asked in sheer bewilderment.

Robotnik released a slimy chuckle, "I once asked my nephew what color was my heart. Do you know what he saw?"

He took the skunk's silence for an answer, "He didn't see a heart, because I haven't one!"

St. John's adrenaline dump had finally been depleted and he felt all strength leave his body. He was filled with utter defeat and his head drooped down, while Robotnik's pompous monologue continued.

"You think I would be foolish enough not to expect betrayal from an ignoramus as pathetic as you? I would never trust anything, other than my machines, let alone a filthy rodent!"

St. John felt his head being lifted up and he was forced to look into the single soulless eye. "Perhaps I could find one last task for you."

The skunk drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes as if to contemplate the doctor's offer.

Purple eyes opened and defiantly, St. John breathlessly whispered, "Fuck you." In one last act of indignity the skunk spat in the tyrant's face.

"Hmm," Robotnik mused with a flat scowl, "Very well."

The metal appendage drove the discarded arrow into the skunk's chest with tremendous force. St. John coughed at the harsh impact and immediately blood began to pour from his mouth.

"To whatever end," the skunk's gurgled whisper traveled across to Robotnik's ear.

St. John smiled defiantly once more before his vision faded to black and his head dropped down limply.

**So there was the sixth installment... Hope y'all liked it. Writing the fight scene was a ton of fun and it was nice to kind of let go and let the story get a little darker and a bit grittier. Anyway, thank you so much for reading and please remember to leave a review and let me know what you think. As always, Rock on and God Bless!  
**


	7. Homecoming

**A/N what's up y'all? Here is chapter Seven! I'm happy to say that I got this chapter done a whole lot earlier than I expected. This chapter is definitely more light hearted than the previous and it's a nice little change of pace before the final act begins. Anyways, thank you for reading and please enjoy!**

Homecoming

"What in the world happened?" Doctor Quack asked as Sonic brought Antoine into the infirmary.

The blue hedgehog was reluctant to speak as he gently set the coyote on the bed. The spent arrow was still lodged deep into his shoulder. Bunnie laid with a simple white cast around her arm and a painkiller dripping into the IV in her arm.

"Long story, doc," Sonic stated tiredly, "Are they going to be alright?"

The mallard thoroughly inspected Antoine's shoulder and was slow to answer his question. The coyote winced in pain when the doctor poked at the tissue around the wound.

"Sonic, I need you to grab a saw and a hammer from the wood shack for me please," Doctor Quack requested.

In a flash the blue blur returned with the tools and handed it to the duck. His face indicated that he didn't understand what exactly was going to happen.

Quack reached over to his medical kit and retrieved a sterile rag and handed it to the Antoine. Once more he reached over this time producing a pair of scissors in which he used to cut the uniform off of the Coyote. The only clothe left of the uniform was a square patch that was pinned by the arrow.

"Listen Antoine," The medical officer spoke in a manner that suggested he had some very bad news. "I can't pull the arrow back out; it would cause too much damage and it could sever a major artery."

The coyote gulped with anxiety at where he figured this was going, "Zen how do we get zis arrow from my shoulder?"

"I'll cut the tail off of the arrow, after that I'm going to push it the rest of the way through the rest of the way."

Antoine was flabbergasted at the doctor's proposed plan and attempted to refuse, "No zank you, I am quite fine! I am-"

"Twan," Sonic cut him off, "Just relax, man! The doc knows what he's doing."

The duck proceeded to saw at the tail end of the bolt and soon the fins were removed, "Okay, that rag is for you to bite down on… You're going to need it."

Doctor Quack lined up the hammer with the end of the arrow and with one forceful impact the arrow was forced through the opposite side of Antoine's shoulder. A muffled moan echoed form the French coyote and with another whack of the hammer, the bolt was almost completely dislodged.

"Sonic, on the count of three I need you to push on Antoine's shoulder," He instructed. "Ready? One… Two… Three, PUSH!"

With a strong yank, Quack successfully removed the projectile from the wound. Antoine continued to bite down on the towel and tears welled in his eyes. Immediately after, the doctor wrapped the shoulder in thick bandages and moved Antoine's arm into a sling.

"You are a lucky coyote, Mr. D'Coolette!" Doctor Quack chirped, "It could have been a whole lot worse."

"Do you need anything else from me, doc?" Sonic asked.

The duck looked up from dressing Antoine's wound, "Not that I can think of, but I believe the Princess wanted a word with you in her quarters."

Sonic made the short journey to Sally's hut with a mild sense of urgency. His fist knocked on the door and almost immediately it flung open and he was greeted by Sally.

"Hey," She said in a hushed tone and ushered the hedgehog in.

What Sonic saw, caused his jaw to drop. Sleeping soundly in Sally's bed was a two tailed fox. The kit's eyes were shut, but his chest slowly rose and fell. He almost couldn't believe it. His little bro, his best friend, the component that made so much of his world was here safe and sound. Only a few nights ago the kit was thought to be dead.

Sonic's legs suddenly felt so weak and he reached out and grabbed Sally's arm. "Sal?" Sonic asked in a quivering voice, "Sal is that… Is that really him?"

"Yeah," Sally choked out with a teary-eyed smile, "It's him."

The hedgehog found it hard to move as he was expelling most of his energy just to keep himself from crying. In truth he was afraid to approach the fox, as if he ventured too close Tails would simply disappear.

"Go ahead, Sonic," Sally encouraged.

Slowly he crossed the room to reach the sleeping fox. Sonic sat in the chair in front of the bed and gently reached out and gripped the child's hand.

Sally pulled up a second chair and watched the heartwarming interaction. Sonic held Tails' paw with one hand and ran his other through the kit's head fur.

"H-Hey little buddy," Sonic whispered, "It's me, Sonic."

He stayed like that and continued talking to Tails. After a few minutes, Sonic turned back to Sally, "What happened?"

Sally explained how she'd found Tails on the outskirts of the village. How'd she'd gone for a walk after the others went to track down the skunk. She couldn't keep her emotions at bay as she depicted the moment, she saw Tails.

"He knows how to navigate, but he must have gotten turned around or something," Sally finished her story and wiped at her eyes, "He was so exhausted when I found him, he just passed out."

Sonic couldn't help but chuckle at the statement. How many times had he or Sally taken the kit to bed after he'd fallen asleep in a hideout? Memories of helping Sally read Tails a story and looking over to find the kit fast asleep filled his mind. The thought brought both a smile to his face and a warmth to his chest.

Sally's smile grew at the snicker, "What?"

Sonic shook his head, "That just sounds so much like him."

Sally failed to hold back her own snort of laughter at the comment and shielded her mouth with her hand. Her mind traveled back to every time Tails had fallen asleep on her lap and how he would beg her for a story at bedtime.

"Did I ever tell you how he got his real name?" Sally asked. The question earned a puzzled look from the hedgehog and Sally smiled and rolled her eyes. "You DO know that 'Tails' isn't his real name, right?"

Sonic grinned sheepishly, he'd referred to the fox as Tails, T2, and various other incarnations for so long that he'd forgotten the kit had a real first name. "Could you give me a hint?"

"His real name is Miles," Sally reminded him with a shake of her head. Sonic nearly burst out laughing at the name. He knew the kid's last name was Prower, but with Miles attached to it, the moniker formed a humorous pun.

"What?" Sally said with confusion written across her features.

"Miles Prower?" Sonic said, "Don't you hear it?

"Hear what?

"Miles Per Hour," Sonic said while trying to hold back another round of laughter.

Sally rolled her eyes again at the immature behavior, but she failed to keep from smiling. "Well when I found him, all he had was a blanket with the word 'Prower.' So I thought that he must have been miles from home and I guess the name stuck."

"Huh, real original Sal," Sonic quipped which eanred a playful glare from the Princess and silence filled the room.

"I still can't believe it's almost been nine years now," Sonic said, in a rare moment of reflection.

"I know," Sally replied and her head was refilled with memories. She'd spent so many hours changing the kit's diapers, feeding him, and overall being the sole caretaker of the young boy. "Seems like only yesterday, he was learning to walk."

There were so many rich memories the two shared with Tails. He brought with him a new light in the darkest years of their lives. Tails carried an unfathomable sense of hope and it wasn't long until seeing the young fox was the highlight of Sally and Sonic's day.

Everywhere Tails went, he seemed to brighten up people's lives. Bunnie was ecstatic when she first found out about the child, he seemed to lighten the load of her robotic limbs somehow. While most received the child with open arms, not all were so welcoming, especially to a child with two tails.

Some of Knothole's residents were rather intolerant of the birth defect or saw the kid's presence as a magnet that would bring danger to the village. There were legitimate concerns, but most complaints stemmed from sheer ignorance in Sally's eyes.

Tails had experienced a few episodes of prejudice from some of the more elderly members of the village, but he still maintained his positive attitude. Sonic had done a terrific job of instilling the notion that an extra tail was a gift, not a curse. Sally always admired that about Sonic, he took something that made himself so different and turned it into a signature strength.

There were a few occasions however, in which the ridicule did get to the fox and Sally would be the only one that could console the child. Tails had a tendency to hide when he was upset more often than not, only She or Sonic could coax him out.

Then there were the few moments when Tails asked an unanswerable question, mainly about his parents. Sally liked to imagine that Tails' mother had left him there in that tree for a good reason, but she always had her doubts.

Sally told the kit truthfully of how he was found, but she never projected her suspicions of abandonment. Tails was usually placated with affection and proposition that he would always have his Aunt Sally, but she had a feeling that the remedy was only superficial and that the void was never fully filled.

Sonic's eyes pulled Sally from her thoughts and they sat in the quiet and enjoyed each other's company. Somehow, with the presence of Tails, not even words seemed to be necessary. To them, they had all they needed right in that very room.

Tired eyes fluttered open at the sunlight that was pouring into the room through the uncovered window. Tails was groggy and his body felt stiff, but he was warm and comfortable; a drastic change from the previous two nights.

The fox was only vaguely aware of the previous night's events, he wasn't even sure if it was real or a dream. A small moan escaped his lips and his body began to slowly move; it was then that he realized someone was holding his hand.

Tails cast a confused expression down towards the foot of the bed and what he saw reassured him that he wasn't dreaming. Leaning on the bed was none other than Sonic himself. The hedgehog was sitting in a chair, but his head rested on the mattress and a small snoring sound emanated from the sleeping form.

Sonic had stayed there all night. He stayed awake as long as he could and insisted that Sally rest in his bed while he watched over Tails. Eventually sleep found him and his hand remained in a gentle grip around the kit's.

"S-Sonic?" The timid voice caused his ear to twitch and he mumbled in protest.

"Ugh… Not right now Tails, I'm sleeping," The sudden realization slammed against his mind and his head snapped up. "Tails? Tails, you're awake!"

Tails smiled at the hedgehog, it was the first time he smiled in what felt like an eternity. Immediately his arms jetted out and eagerly wrapped around Sonic's neck.

"Hey little bro," Sonic said with joy of his own and released the fox to hold him at arm's length. "You okay, kid?"

Tails nodded slowly, "I think so… Unless I'm dreaming."

"Well you ain't dreaming, little bro. This is the real deal!" Sonic exclaimed and wrapped his arm around Tails head and proceeded to give him a noogie. The protesting laughter was a refreshing sound and after a few seconds, Sonic allowed his prisoner to be released.

"What happened?" Tails asked after he finished laughing, "How'd I get here?"

"Sal found yah out on the outskirts of the village," Sonic explained, "She went for a walk and you just sorta appeared out of nowhere!"

Tails leaned his back against the headboard in thought, he didn't remember much of his reunion with Sally the night before. Suddenly the image of the skunk that had been chasing him flashed in his mind.

"Sonic!" The sudden outburst caught the hedgehog by surprise.

"What is it, big guy?" Sonic asked while raising a brow.

"There… There was someone chasing me the other night!" Tails exclaimed and Sonic recoiled at such a wild claim. The kid had a vivid imagination and there were still even times that he'd have Sonic or Sally check under his bed for monsters.

"Honest!" Tails proclaimed, seeing Sonic's skeptical gaze. "It was a skunk! He had a green suit and he had some kind of arrow launcher on his arm!" Tails continued to explain and gestured to his forearm to mark where the weapon was mounted.

Sonic froze at the description, it fit the skunk from the night before. The odiferous mobian said he was headed back towards the city. Was it just a ploy to create a buffer so he could abduct Tails again? He said something about Robotnik wanting Tails specifically for some kind of roboticization process.

"And he was talking to Robotnik on a radio," the fox continued, "I was able to hide from him, but he kept looking for me."

Sonic shook his head and rested his hand on Tails' shoulder again, "You don't need to worry about him anymore, little bro!" The fox tilted his head in confusion, silently begging Sonic to elaborate, "Me, Antoine, and Bunnie sent him packing last night."

"You did?"

"You betcha, big guy! Even ANTOINE helped kick his stinky butt!" Sonic replied boastfully, which earned laughter from the eight-year-old fox.

"Well, are yah hungry?" Sonic asked. Tails opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, a loud and lengthy growl roared from his stomach. A strip of pink worked its way across his muzzle and Tails sheepishly looked down at the floor.

"I'll take that as a yes," Sonic laughed and guided the kit towards the mess hall.

As they walked past the doors, Tails was immediately assaulted with affection and cheers from the Freedom Fighters. Bunnie was the first to rush over and hug the small fox and the others offered hugs and he soaked up the attention like a sponge.

He noticed the obvious cast on Bunnie's arm as well as Antoine's injury, but he decided against asking about what had happened as he didn't want to be rude. Tails took his seat next to Sally upon her beckoning pat on the bench and a plate was laid before him.

Tails soon had his fill of pancakes and eggs and his world finally seemed to be at peace. He explained how he escaped the roboticizing chamber and how he'd made his way out of the city. Tails left out the intimate details of his nightmare the first night, and in similar fashion to Sonic, he tried to play it cool.

"Well look at you, my brave little man!" Bunnie cooed. She was amazed at Tails' death-defying tale and his unbroken spirit was truly inspiring. However, not all was well, as she saw the glimpse of wariness in his eyes that every freedom fighter seemed to have.

"We're all so proud of you, honey!" Sally chimed in and pinched his cheek. Her gratitude to have the kit back home was immeasurable. They'd lost some good friends, but Sally knew that they'd do it all over again for any other freedom fighter, especially a child.

"Thanks," Tails said shyly and another crimson ribbon stretched across his muzzle. "I learned from the best," He said earnestly. He knew fully that if he hadn't been taught any of his basic skills, he wouldn't have been able to make it back.

"And… Aunt Sally," He said as his emotions involuntarily began to show through, "Thanks… For not… Giving up on me," Tails' voice started to break as he choked up a bit, "Cuz I almost did."

Sally looked down at the kit and the world around them seemed to dissolve. In that moment, it was just her and the child she loved so much. She felt her own tears brewing at the sentiment and she cradled Tails' cheek in her hand. Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke, "I'd never give up on you, Tails. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you."

The scene melted the heart of every other freedom fighter at the table. Sally gave the little fox a tight squeeze before she casted a thankful smile around the table. Her gaze was met with proud and empathetic expressions that filled her with the same hope and happiness that radiated from the kit at her side.

Once the small celebration was over, Sally brought Tails back to her hut and gave him a proper bath. She succeeded in scrubbing all of the dirt and grime that clung to the fox's fur.

Much to her surprise there was little to no protest when she scrubbed across the burnt and bruised portions of Tails' body. He winced on occasion, but remained composed and he seemed happy to be rid of the filth.

Sadly, the peace was not to last as Tails' underlying fears began to surface. He confided in Sally about his nightmare and the emptiness that at times had plagued his heart. His emotions came to a head when he finally broke down crying at the thought of his own abandonment, but Sally was there through it all.

She held him close as he laid his little soul bare and her heart ached because of it. Sally reassured her young charge of her love and dedication to his well-being. Though he was deprived of his real parents, it didn't mean he didn't have a family.

Tails nodded at the sentiment, he knew what she said was true, but such platitudes were never enough to mend a broken heart. He felt Sally give him another tight squeeze and she had a look in her eye that Tails had never quite seen before.

"Did I ever tell you about the day we found you?" Sally asked and a smile crept across her face.

The expression proved to be contagious as Tails felt a grin suddenly tugging at the edges of his mouth. He nodded his head, but his expression was a clear indication for her to continue.

"Well when I found you, I brought you back here to knothole. You were so tiny! You could almost fit right here," Sally said and gestured to palm of her hand. "Anyway, I brought you back, cleaned you up and fed you. Do you know what happened next?"

Tails was completely captivated by Sally's storytelling. It was different from the story books she'd read at night and Tails was the main character. The sparkle of wonder and innocence returned to the kit's eyes and it was welcomed by the chipmunk. "Nuh-uh, what happened, Aunt Sally?"

She giggled the slightest bit and her eyes were adorned with love and warmth. Her mere presence radiated comfort and security that always made Tails feel welcomed. "You smiled at me," Sally stated and poked Tails' nose, "They say babies that young can't smile, but you did. You smiled right at me."

By now the small smile had stretched its way across Tails' face, "And then what happened?"

"You got your real name, Miles Prower. Do you know what your name means?" Tails' response was a simple shake of his head.

Sally's smile grew just a little bit bigger, "It means 'Gift' and that is exactly what you are. The most precious gift I could have ever received."

With the last sentiment, Tails' load seemed lighter, his spark a little brighter, and the void not so deep. Sally's grasp also became a little warmer, her love a little brighter, and the prospect of his family seemed all the more real. Soon enough, Tails fell asleep again in Sally's arm, and he felt a peace deeper than he'd ever experienced.

Deep in the heart of the darkened citadel, Robotnik resided in a small chamber. An array of computer monitors flashed with seemingly infinite amounts of code. A small generator hummed loudly and filled the lair with a noxious fume that seemed to soothe the doctor as he worked.

A wicked grin crawled across his face and he looked on in with pride at a large glass tube that extended from the ceiling to the floor. A figure stood unmoving behind the barrier and its form was hidden by glare on the chamber face.

The doctor pressed a red button that illuminated under his touch and two reels of tape began to turn and decibel meters twitched at Robotnik's voice. "Initiating test number one hundred and seventeen, subject is within test chamber, engage."

He pushed forward a level and the glass chamber was filled with brilliant light. Anguished screams echoed from the machine and brought a demented sneer to the doctor's face. He always enjoyed hearing the suffering of others, their cries were a symphony to his ears.

Black was all the mobian saw and his world was utterly silent. He was dimly aware of his own existence, but it was as if he was dreaming.

He tried to move his fingers, but every single joint was frozen and refused to respond. The mobian was unable to even breathe, yet he didn't experience any symptoms of asphyxiation.

A strangely familiar voice pierced the silence, "Activate Protocol Alpha One-One-Five."

Red digital writing flashed to the center of his vision, _PROTOCOL ALPHA 115 ACTIVATED_

Seconds later the simple text was replaced by lines upon lines of red digital numerical codes. The display ran for several minutes before everything was once again black.

"Exit stasis," The voice rang out again.

_CENTRAL HUD ACTIVATED…RUNNING SYSTEM DIAGNOSTICS… DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETE… EXITING STASIS…_

There were numerous environmental factors that displayed before his vision. The distance between himself and any surrounding objects, temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed.

_TARGETING COMPUTER ONLINE… ALL SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL… DISPLAY NETWORK READY_

Finally the cyborg's eyes opened. In front of him stood a large rotund human. Two large metal arms flanked his chest and a single red iris stared back.

_TARGET IDENTIFIED… DESIGNATION: ASSET; WEAPONS SYSTEM DISENGAGED… ASSET PROFILE: SUPREME LEADER DOCTOR IVO ROBOTNIK_

"Why hello," Robotnik spoke in a giddy tone. "Do you know who I am?"

"You are Doctor Robotnik," the bionic mobian answered.

The doctor's words slithered out of his mouth, "Good. What is your directive?"

_PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: CAPTURE AND SECURE TWO-TAILED FOX… SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: DESTROY FREEDOM FIGHTERS_

"Primary directive: secure package known as 'Miles Prower' Secondary directive: Eliminate Freedom Fighters."

Robotnik ushered one final command, "Execute."

**So there was chapter 7! This actually serves as the closing of the second act of this story, so don't worry the story ain't over yet! There's still more madness to come.  
Also, I'd like to take a moment to thank y'all for reading this story and all of the feedback. It honestly means more than you know and this story has become more popular than I really thought it would, so again, thank y'all so much! With that being said, please remember to leave a review and let me know what y'all think. As always, Rock on and God Bless!  
**


	8. Nightmares

**A/N Hey Hey! Here's the eight chapter of the story and the beginning of the Third and final act. So that unfortunately means that this story will be coming to a close within the next few chapters. This chapter was an interesting one to write and I hope y'all like it. Anyways, thank you for reading and please enjoy.**

Nightmares

Dark clouds descended upon the great forest and cast a shroud over the land. The world below was full of lush fields and tightly packed trees. The mighty oaks grew with outstretched arms as if to embrace the heavens above.

A lone silhouette moved swiftly and silently through the branches of the trees, the creature risked a peak behind him and the lack of his pursuer brought a sense of relief. He pressed on through the elevated platforms toward the clearing that laid ahead.

An exhale was released in the form of an exhausted giggle, Tails was finally going to beat Sonic in a race around Knothole village. His path to victory was laid before him in the 100-yard stretch. The fox twirled his tails and raced forward while he hovered just above the branches.

Within seconds, Tails was on the verge of the clearing and at the cusp of victory. He prepared his own taunting tone that his opponent had vociferated so many times before. Tails counted down the seconds to his victory, "Three… Two… One! I win!"

The fox's celebration was cut short when Sonic came running from behind and onto the last branch with his palms outstretched, "Boo!" The hedgehog looked on with a bewildered expression at the empty branches, until the kit's voice rang out from behind him.

"Like I said," He stated triumphantly through heavy breaths, "I won!"

"No way!" Sonic protested with a wave of his arm, "I gave you a head start!"

Tails ran his thumb under his nose and smirked, "Well, I reached the clearing before you did."

The hedgehog scowled at the fox and crossed his arms over his chest, "Is that so?"

"Uh-huh!" Tails nodded his head vigorously, "I finally beat yah, Sonic!"

"Alright," Sonic conceded and a grin sprang across his face, "I guess you win… This time."

Upon the cobalt speedster's admittance of defeat, Tails began pumping his arms and the open air was filled with his triumphant squeal. He eagerly met Sonic's fist half-way and his smile only grew as his idol uttered the phrase, "Way past cool, little bro!"

Sonic suggested that it was about time for dinner and invited Tails to join him, in which the fox gleefully accepted. As they walked, Sonic couldn't help but think about the past two weeks that Tails had been back home.

He noticed that Tails had acted somewhat strangely the first couple of days. He'd occasionally caught the fox's pensive stare when the kid was at his dirt hockey rink.

Of course, Tails had always maintained the notion that he was fine, but even Sonic had his doubts. The kid nearly had a panic attack, one of his first nights back, when Bunnie accidentally snuck up on him. It was only the last few days that Tails had seemingly reverted back to his normal personality.

Sonic couldn't blame the kid for his weariness though. He could only imagine the kind of trauma Tails had gone through. Being kidnapped, nearly roboticized, and hunted down was certain to have lasting ramifications; but Tails had recovered surprisingly well. Even Sonic himself was impressed by the kid's resilience.

The savory smell of chili returned Sonic to his present reality and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Tails licking his lips. He wondered just how much he had rubbed off on the kit and if all of the traits he passed down were positive.

When they sat down, Sonic's mind continued to pick up speed. He was worried that Tails' sense of stubbornness had led to him attempting to mask his emotions. The thought certainly raised concerns, but Tails would only talk on his own terms.

As expected, the common caravan of freedom fighters marched through the doors and before long, the usual group had congregated at their table. The chili dog feast was accompanied by several variations of vegetables and Sonic was still surprised to see Tails consuming the greens with the ease that he did.

It was one of the small changes in Tails' behavior; before he'd had a habit of leaving scraps of food on his plate and strongly disliked vegetables. Now he freely devoured the greens and picked nearly every crumb from his plate, much to Sally's delight.

Sonic's neutral expression was carved into a smile of amusement and pride when Tails began boasting that he'd finally beat the hedgehog in a race. The kid's expression was vivacious and his retelling of the day's events was equally lively, so much so that it managed to capture the interest of Antoine.

The coyote leaned forward and his words slithered from his sly grin, "So ze great Soneec ze Hedgehog eez perhaps not as fast as he once thought?"

The resulting snickers and the hardy laugh from the two tailed fox filled his ears and for the first time, Sonic felt a real impact to his ego. He rolled his eyes in response and dug his elbow into the fox at his side.

Tails' ears folded down and he gave the elder hedgehog a dirty look. Sonic flashed a dodgy smile in return and ruffled the kit's bangs with his hand, which made it nearly impossible for Tails to maintain his angry charade.

Soon after dinner was finished, Sonic and Sally escorted Tails to his hut. It was his first night alone after he had returned and the young fox was rather apprehensive about the prospect. The two managed to provide enough reassurance and the fox was settled into bed.

Though Tails felt secure with the presence of Sonic and Sally, there was a gnawing feeling of anxiety that swelled in his chest. During Sally's enthusiastic reading of the story, he couldn't keep his eyes from focusing on the door.

In his mind's eye, Tails could see the muddy footprints and hear the creaking floorboard. His mouth became dry, his breathing became short and frantic, and he could hear his pulse pounding in his ear.

Tails was utterly paralyzed by fear and the sound of thunder roared overhead. The sound of his surroundings was replaced with a deafening tone of silence and his wide, panicked eyes met Sally's. Her lips were moving but Tails couldn't hear what she was saying.

The bedsheets crumpled under the fox's tight grip and Tails felt as if his chest was placed into a vice. The very air seemed to be squeezed from his lungs and with every exhale it became harder and harder to take air in.

"Tails, are you alright?" Sally asked as the kit descended into a state of distress right in front of her and Sonic's eyes. Tails was looking right at her, but in his petrified state he seemed unable to even comprehend her words.

Sonic looked on with concern, he heard the kit begin to wheeze and was at a loss of what to do. "Sal, what's happening to him?"

"I don't know," Sally answered genuinely. She kept trying to talk to the kit, but when the wheezing became more frantic, she climbed into the bed with him. Sally propped Tails against her chest and tried to gently console the fox.

Despite their efforts to calm him, Tails continued his spiral and his fearful expression became more intense and distraught with every passing second.

The Tails' world seemed to be collapsing around him all at once and his body began to shake uncontrollably. Sonic and Sally faded from view as his vision moved to the ceiling, suddenly the walls of his hut disintegrated into ash.

His pelt was assaulted by the torrential downpour and the cold that sank below his fur and into his skin. Robotnik's deep raspy laughter echoed through the empty clearing, but still Tails' body refused to move despite his attempt to flee.

A pressure pushed against his back and in an instant, he was faceted to same cast iron table he was before. His nose was filled with a polluted stench and Robotnik's lair folded into existence around him.

From the shadows of a corridor in front of Tails, two red irises glowed ominously. Tails struggled against his restraints, but with no hope of freedom. The clanking of heavy footsteps reverberated throughout the lair as Robotnik stepped forward into the dimly lit room.

"No… No! No! You're not real!" Tails hollered. His eyes screwed shut and he continued to thrash about. "I made it back to knothole! I know I made it!"

Robotnik chuckled maniacally and place his heavy hand atop the kit's head and his hot breath flattened itself against Tails' muzzle when he opened his mouth to speak. "Even if you manage to get away from me, you will never escape your fate," Robotnik's words drippled from his mouth and he stepped to the side, revealing the roboticizer in all of its twisted glory.

Tails couldn't look away as he was ripped from the table and unceremoniously tossed into the glass chamber. The tube immediately closed in front of him while the tyrant's mad, boisterous laughter filled the hall. With a flick of a switch, Tails helplessly watched his limbs turn to metal.

Once his body was roboticized the setting before him melted like wax, every color blended together and created a revolting texture. Robotnik's echoing laughter was replaced by the crackling of glassy ice as it froze all around him.

Immediately, Tails' body began to shiver in the frigid conditions. He could see his breath, in the faint light, as it was expelled from his body. The exhale formed a small cloud before it dissipated into the void of air.

"Miles!" Sonic's distant, echoing voice tore through the air and Tails tried desperately to locate the phonation. Fresh snow crunched under his foot as he took his first step forward, Tails felt utterly lost and alone.

"Sonic?" Tails cried out and his voice reverberated in the dark, he continued calling after Sonic, Sally and the various other freedom fighters, but the further he walked the more tired he felt. He trudged on searching for a way out until his body could continue no longer and he collapsed into the bed of snow.

"Miles can you hear me?" Sonic's voice tore into his ear at deafening volume and soon the darkness gave way to a small speck of light.

Tails reached out his hand in a desperate attempt to hold onto the illumination as it grew into a blinding white brightness and he closed his eyes tightly in response. When they opened back up Tails found himself back in his room and he was met by Sonic's concerned countenance.

Sally's gentle voice wove from behind his head and he focused on the calming sound. "Just breath. It's okay, just breath like I do; in and out." Tails felt Sally's chest expand against his back and before long, his breathing was in time with hers.

"That's it little buddy," Sonic said, "You're doing great, just keep breathing. In and out."

Slowly Tails' body began to relax and his exhausted form laid limply against Sally. The princess released a relieved sigh and gently ran her hand through the kit's head fur.

Tails felt the shift of the mattress as Sonic sat down across from him. The hedgehog caught the tired stare from the fox kit and he felt his chest ache the slightest bit. He could only imagine what Tails had just gone through.

The kit was in a petrified and almost catatonic state for nearly 20 minutes. Towards the end of the episode Tails was writhing almost as if he were in pain and was crying out about how he'd made it back to Knothole.

"S-Sonic?" Tails' timid voice barely escaped his lips.

The hedgehog put on the most compassionate expression he could muster, "Yeah little buddy it's me."

"W-where…Where am I?" Tails asked with a concerned tone. He was terrified that this was all a ruse by Robotnik and that he was still stuck in the forsaken city. "I'm in Knothole, right?"

Sonic smiled gently and nodded in confirmation, "Yup, that's right. You're home, safe and sound."

Tails felt two arms gently wrap around his frame and his body tensed at Sally's touch. She eased the kit by reassuring him of her presence and the kiss she placed on the top of his head seemed to soothe Tails to an extent.

Slowly Tails was able to decompress, his breathing was finally calm, much to Sonic and Sally's relief. The kit's timid and tired voice broke the heavy silence, "Please don't leave me alone."

"Shh," Sally gently hushed him and stroked his head fur, "We're not going anywhere."

The trees gently waived in the wind and light rain pattered against the window, bringing a serene chorus into the bedroom. Before long, Tails was fading into an exhausted state of slumber.

Hidden underneath the tree line a lone figure, seemingly undeterred by the wind and rain, peered out from behind one of the countless oaks. The creature shared the resemblance of a coyote, save for the exposed chrome that washed in and out of tan fur of his left arm and leg.

Glassy brown eyes scanned the settlement in front of him, his senses gathering all of the necessary information.

_COORDINATES: 41.8350 DEGREES NORTH 87.8228 DEGREES WEST_

_WIND SPEED 3 METERS/SECOND DIRECTION: SOUTHWEST_

_HUMIDITY: 100%_

_DISTANCE TO TARGET: 190 METERS_

_PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: CAPTURE AND SECURE TWO-TAILED FOX_

_SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: DESTROY FREEDOM FIGHTERS_

The world around the robian was alive with the symphony of the forest. Using the rain to conceal the sound of his footsteps, he lurched forward into the clearing like a ghost. Maneuvering in between huts for cover, he quickly approached the targeted structure.

When he arrived the bionic coyote scanned over the hut marking every possible point of entry and exit. He could gain access through the door, window, or a loose wooden board in the roof.

Various equations flashed across his vision, calculating the probability of success for each option. Ultimately, the algorithm dictated that the window was the most optimal port of entry, however, the kit was not alone.

A chipmunk laid under the covers with her exposed arm lazily draped over the sleeping kit; she would have to be removed. His eyes swept across the dormant form and immediately a profile was brought forth.

_SUBJECT IDENTIFIED: SALLY ACORN… DESIGNATION: EXPENDABLE_

With a small mechanical click, a silver blade was produced from his left wrist and he silently began to reach for the window. Slowly the glass threshold was unfastened and with painstaking patience, the robian climbed into the pane.

The weapon was raised, prepared for a killing strike, but something grabbed and halted his arm from falling forward. A voice called out from the back of his mind like a geyser, "No!"

The would-be assassin looked to his rear only to find unoccupied space, yet he still felt a tight grip on his arm.

The vocalization sounded eerily conversant, it somehow was the same tone and timbre in which he spoke. Ultimately, the robian succumbed to the mysteriously strong will and he retreated to the cover of the tree line.

He would have to report his experience to Dr. Robotnik, as it was beyond the comprehension of his programming. He cast a look back to ensure he wasn't detected or followed and he began travelling towards Robotropolis.

In a vast dusk void, Nick awoke in loose fitting chains with his feet dangling only inches from the floor. The coyote wiggled his wrists free from the cuffs and his bare paws hit the cold floor. He stumbled to and from as his body regained its bearings.

The space around him was nearly pitch black and completely devoid of sound, save for his own breathing and the gentle clatter of the swaying chains. He tried to allow his eyes to acclimate, but they refused to focus and the foreboding darkness, filled him with a deep sense of anxiety.

"Hello?!" Nick called out a shout, the only response was the reverberation of his own voice. A heavy gelid sense washed over and weighed down upon him like a blanket of snow.

He began to move forward and Nick was almost certain that his feet nearly froze to the floor with every step. His breath trembled and his whole body shivered violently against the frigid atmosphere and his condition only worsened the further he traveled.

After what felt like miles, Nick came into contact with a wall, its exterior was rough and freezing. He ran his hand along the surface and immediately, Nick determined it was a layer of frost. For the sake of curiosity, he scrubbed a small area clear and what he felt underneath was a flat smooth surface.

"Glass?" He questioned himself. Without warning, the wall was illuminated with blinding light and the cold was banished and replaced with a moderate warmth.

Shielding his eyes with his hand, Nick could barely make out a large red figure in the center of the screen. When his vision finally settled, what he saw was terrifying, Robotnik was staring directly at him.

Nick fell on his back and instantly began crawling backwards as fast as he could. The tyrant had failed to acknowledge his existence, yet he was still speaking to someone… Or something.

"Do you know who I am?" Robotnik's raspy voice came through the barrier with a clear sense of giddiness.

There was a pause and Nick was confused by Robotnik's pleasantry and what confused him further was that both of the maniac's arms were now roboticized. Before the coyote could form an answer, he heard his own voice echo through the space, "You are Doctor Robotnik."

"What?" Nick uttered under his breath, while his body recoiled harshly. That was his voice, yet he had not answered the question.

"What is your directive?" Robotnik asked another question with a more sinister tone. What Nick heard next, brought back the chills with even greater force.

"Primary directive: secure package known as 'Miles Prower' Secondary directive: Eliminate Freedom Fighters."

The name was instantly recognizable, hadn't rescuing the child been the primary objective of his last operation? The more he thought, the more he realized he didn't remember much after entering the city. Just what exactly had happened?

Robotnik's eager chuckle broke Nick from his thoughts and he heard the final command, "Execute."

The view on the screen indicated movement as the setting changed from a small mechanical area to one of various corridors and ultimately into the city of Robotropolis. Nick felt a burning sensation in the top of his head and various memories began flashing in his vision.

The images flashed rapidly until Knothole appeared at the forefront of his mind. The searing pain grew to an agonizing level and Nick was disorientated and overwhelmed; it felt as if his head was being split open.

By the time Nick realized what was happening, it was too late; the navigational programming had been complete and the robian was in route to the village.

A feeling of shame, despair, and agony filled Nick's chest. The myths were true, robians truly were aware of their existence, but were incapable of controlling their actions. The sudden epiphany caused his heart to drop into his stomach as reality set in, he was Robotnik's weapon and there was nothing he could do about it.

Nick felt like he was trapped in a perpetual nightmare, being forced to witness the reconnaissance of the village he once called his home. The feeling of helplessness was surreal, being held prisoner in his own body and having full knowledge of the actions that would soon come.

Being unable to prevent such a travesty nearly drove Nick to the brink of insanity. He tried unsuccessfully to manipulate his external extremities, yet he had developed senses that coincided with the outside world.

The dampening impact of raindrops tore Nick from his thoughts, the darkening skies brought a heavy sense of dread. The light drizzle had gradually became a heavy downpour after nightfall and the shower chilled the coyote to the bone.

His body only became number as the last lights in the village burnt out. Nick wept and pleaded against the programming, but alas his begging was a mere cry in the dark.

"No, please no!" Nick whimpered continuously. He watched in horror as his body entered the hut and made ready to slaughter the princess and kidnap the hapless child.

Finally with unprecedented fury, he cried out with every fiber of his being, "No!" Through sheer will power alone, the coyote had halted the deadly attack. The shear expense of energy proved to be incredibly taxing and his consciousness fell dark.

**A/N Well, there was the eighth chapter! Y'all didn't expect to see Nick again, did yah? Like I said this chapter was interesting to write, so please leave a review and let me know what y'all think! Thank you so much for reading and as always, Rock on and God Bless!  
**


	9. Imminent Threat

**A/N What's up y'all? Here is chapter number nine! I want to give a shout out to Rinpoo for beta-reading this chapter for me. Be sure to check out "Taking Up the Mantle" if you haven't already. I would also like to encourage those who have been following this story to reread the first half of chapter 3 as a refresher for a certain scene in this chapter. Anyway, please enjoy!**

Imminent Threat

Sally awoke to the sound of light rain pattering against the open window sill, the spritz had managed to dampen the bedsheets as well as her fur. A curious confusion set in upon seeing the open threshold, but was replaced with a warm sense of affection when she looked down at the sleeping kit in her arms.

Ever so gently, Sally wiped the excess moisture from Tails' forehead and allowed herself to settle back down under the covers. She had many tasks to complete, but they could wait; she was utterly content and chose to relish the moment that she had.

Between her leadership duties, raids, and general tasks, Sally rarely had moments like these to spend with her loved ones, mainly Tails. The recent experience of the fox's kidnapping and subsequent return stirred a feeling that she'd never truly acknowledged before.

Sally had come to love the little kit ever since the day she'd found him, but she never could have imagined the amount of sheer anguish losing Tails could bring.

She had raised him herself, but the relationship was always like that of a caretaker or foster parent. After reuniting with Tails, however, Sally began to realize just what kind of role she truly played in his life.

Internally, the princess knew exactly what that role was, but she was unsure if she was even worthy of such a title. She was a glorified soldier at best with very little free time and what if by some miraculous turn of events, Tails' birth parents were to return, what then?

Various questions and doubts plagued Sally's mind and threatened to rob her of the tranquil moment. Such negativity was banished, however, when Tails stirred in his sleep and nestled into her grip.

The chipmunk looked at the kit and a smile graced her features, she'd managed until now, hadn't she? Sally knew Tails better than anyone else and she shared a deep bond with child as well, one that could never be duplicated.

Tails' shivering whine caused Sally to instinctively tighten her grip on the fox. The compassionate words of reassurance that only a mother could provide sat on her tongue, begging to be released. Unfortunately her own apprehension kept the unspoken sentiment contained in her mind. Instead she whispered, "Shh, Aunt Sally's here."

Sally dwelled on her unspoken words and she listened to the slow, soft breathing that emanated from the fox. The creeping cold of the early morning was conquered by a warm blanket of affection when she heard Tails' contented sigh. Wrapped up in her state of bliss, Sally allowed the light pitter-patter of the rain to lull her back to sleep.

The creaking of a worn wooden bedframe rang out through Sonic's hut as he continuously tossed and turned. Ultimately, the hedgehog released a defeated sigh and rolled onto his back and blankly stared up at the ceiling.

His mind was plagued with an ominous foreboding of danger, he wasn't able to discern what had stirred such a feeling, but it had gnawed at his psyche, since Tails had been returned home.

A small recovery effort had been successfully launched with virtually no resistance. The fallen Freedom Fighters had been brought home, all except for one. Nick's body had yet to be found and it was assumed that he had been taken prisoner.

Sonic was not unfamiliar with such a scenario, but based on Sally's debriefing, Nick was believed to be dead. Yet his status remained "Missing in Action."

Piecing together a situation like this was never his strong-suit nor was the very notion of deep or critical thinking. Yet his mind assaulted him relentlessly. Robotnik's presence was uncharacteristically absent. Either St. John had managed to successfully assassinate the tyrant, or the mad doctor was planning his next move.

The skunk had mentioned Robotnik's motivation for capturing Tails specifically and Sonic shuddered at the thought. He couldn't bear the notion of the fox becoming a weapon, let alone a weapon he himself would have to fight.

The hedgehog drew in a deep sigh and rolled over in his bed. His vision barely caught the image of the dirt hockey rink through the predawn darkness. The thought of Tails' boasting about his new "Sonic Slapshot" eased his troubled mind and brought a smile to his face.

Unfortunately, Sonic's reprieve wouldn't last as he was reminded of the previous night's events and the panic attack that Tails had suffered through. Sonic couldn't think of a single time he'd ever seen Tails in such distress.

A creeping feeling of guilt worked its way across his chest when he remembered how dismissive he was of Tails' initial absence. How could he have been so careless as to overlook the obvious details that were left in the kid's hut?

Sonic internally chastised himself for what he could only describe as a lack of caring. Had he taken the full five seconds to realize just what had happened, maybe they could've acted sooner and prevented Tails from having to experience such a high level of trauma.

The next few hours passed by in similar fashion as his own shame berated him relentlessly. It was only when the morning's first light peeked over the tree line that Sonic's mind finally began to ease.

He clambered out of his bed paying no mind to his disheveled appearance. Sonic slipped on his shoes and ventured toward Tails' hut where he'd left the kit alone with Sally.

Patiently the hut's door was pushed open and the old hinges squealed in moderate protest as it swung. What Sonic saw when he poked his head into the bedroom made him smile; Sally lay sleeping with her arms wrapped around Tails in a tight embrace.

A small smile adorned the fox's muzzle and Sally seemed equally content. The scene provided relief for Sonic's troubled mind and he found himself casually leaning against the door frame.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been standing there when Sally's eyes slowly fluttered open. Her smile only grew upon seeing the hedgehog and she silently mouthed a greeting, "Hi." Sonic's expression brightened and he gave her a small wave in return.

Soon after, Tails' eyes opened and his mouth stretched wide in a yawn. A slow steady heartbeat pulsated in his ear and a familiar sweet yet musty scent wafted into his nose. Instantly Tails was filled with a sense of warmth, security, and contentment. His Aunt Sally's presence was always upmost comforting.

"Morning little bro!" Tails' smile spread ear to ear at the sound of Sonic's voice. "Ready to get some breakfast?"

"Uh-huh!" The kit said with a vigorous nod of his head when he looked over at Sonic. The child's vibrance caused Sally to giggle as his enthusiasm was utterly adorable.

The kit climbed out from underneath the blankets and sat on the edge of the bed and waited for Sally to arise from the cocoon. Sonic remained in his position against the door frame and watched Tails' face rather closely.

He wasn't sure, but Sonic thought he caught a glimpse of a frown that flashed across the fox's muzzle, almost as if he were wincing. Deciding not to dwell on the matter, Sonic invited Sally to join them for breakfast and moments later the trio was ready to depart.

"Wait Sonic?" Tails asked nervously and took hold of one of his bushy namesakes. "Can I ask you about something?"

The hedgehog kneeled down before him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Sure, big guy! What's on the ole fox brain?"

After a silent pause and a rather pensive expression, Tails leaned to the side and cupped his hands around Sonic's ear. "It's a secret," he whispered.

Still maintaining his smile, Sonic turned to Sally and said with a wink, "We'll catch up with yah, Sal. We got some man-talk."

The chipmunk nodded with a gentle smile of her own, "I'll get you two a plate." With that she proceeded towards the mess hall, allowing the two to talk in privacy.

Once Sally was out of earshot, Sonic turned back to the fox and waited for the kid to speak his mind.

"I… I-I'm sorry," Tails said with a quivering voice, "For… For getting so scared last night."

Sonic was a bit taken aback by the unexpected apology and shook his head in response, "It's no worries little bro."

Taking notice of Tails still crestfallen expression, Sonic decided not to pass up on the opportunity for the fox to open up. "That panic attack wasn't much fun, was it?"

Tails shook his head with flattened ears, "Nuh-uh."

"So why are you apologizing for being scared?" The hedgehog asked and cocked his head in confusion. He usually liked to leave conversations like these to Sally, as she was more experienced in the manner, but Tails had chosen him instead.

"I wanna be like you, Sonic!" Tails admitted with a heartbreaking and distressed tone, "You're not scared of anything and I just wanna be brave like you!"

"Hey," Sonic whispered and draped his arm around the kit and pulled him against his chest. "It's okay to be afraid. You know that right?"

Tails shook his head as he felt shame welling up in his tiny body. He was frightened of the prospect of being left alone, he was scared of being taken away, but most of all he was terrified of Robotnik.

The fear had plagued him since his first night back home and only grew worse over the course the last two weeks. There was also a growing sense of worry connected to the thought that he was nothing more than a burden to the freedom fighters as Robotnik had suggested.

"Uh-uh," Tails denied with fresh tears pushing out of his closed eye lids. "I…I don't…wanna…be scared," He chocked out between sobs. "I just wanna be like you!"

Sonic couldn't help but wince when he watched the fox's body shake with every sob and he wrapped the kit up in a hug. After a moment, the tears subsided and he released the child and asked, "You wanna know something?"

"What?" Tails responded and looked up at the cobalt speedster.

Sonic looked around as if to make sure the coast was clear before turning back to Tails and whispered, "It's a secret, so you can't tell anybody. Okay?"

The proposition of learning one of Sonic's secrets proved to be enough to break the kit from his emotional outburst. With a questioning glance, Tails looked up at Sonic before raising his ear to accept the secret information.

Sonic cupped his hands around his mouth and leaned forward. With a barely audible whisper, he admitted, "I get scared too."

The revelation came as quite the shock to the young fox who recoiled at the claim. "What?" His young voice cracked with surprise.

"Yup," Sonic confirmed, "I get scared. So does everyone else. In fact I was way past scared when you went missing."

Tails swiped at his eyes and stared incredulously at the hedgehog, "Really?" When he received another confirming nod, he couldn't keep himself from asking, "Why?"

"Because kid," Sonic said and poked the fox's belly, "You're my little bro! What? Is the ole hedgehog not supposed to care about you? You mean the world to kid!"

Tails nodded in response, but remained silent, his eyes were cast down upon the floor until he heard Sonic's voice beckoning for his attention. He was met by a concerned glance. "Why would you doubt that?" Sonic asked genuinely.

"I don't know, just something Ro-butt-nik was saying," Tails admitted with prevalent shame in his voice.

"Forget ole 'Butt-nik! Don't believe any of his garbage!" Sonic exclaimed and pinched his nose, "Cuz' it stinks!"

Tails let loose a giggle at the theatrics and overly nasally voice. Somehow, with record speed, Sonic had managed to cure the fox's burden of worry.

"So come on, little bro!" Sonic said while he picked up the kit and placed him on his shoulders, "Let's get some breakfast, because the hog is huuungry!"

The breakfast was generous mixture of berry stuffed crepes, eggs, and seasoned vegetables. Tails had his fill and allowed himself to make conversation with the other freedom fighters, something he was rather reluctant to do recently without encouragement.

Bunnie had noticed the change in the fox's behavior and it silently gave her cause for concern. Tails seemed almost ashamed when making eye contact with any of the freedom fighters outside of Sonic and Sally. She had suspicions that Tails felt guilty for the injuries herself, Antoine, and Sally had sustained, despite the fact that they had mostly healed.

"So how y'all doin' sugar?" She asked the fox kit that sat across from her. "Sally-Girl said that you and Sugar-Hog had some man talk. That right?"

The charming, velvety voice reached Tails' ears and drew his attention to Bunnie. "Yeah," He answered shyly, "Me and Sonic were talking about something secret."

"Oh, do tell," Bunnie cooed and leaned forward causing a coy smile to work its way across the kit's face. She pressed further when Tails shook his head with flattened ears, "Oh come on, darlin' you can tell ole' Bunnie. I won't tell nobody!"

Tails giggled at her proposition and the rabbit couldn't wipe the jovial grin from across her muzzle. It had been so long since she'd heard that precious little titter.

"Nuh-uh, Aunt Bunnie!" Tails exclaimed with mock enthusiasm, "It's a secret!"

Hearing his declaration of nondisclosure, Bunnie conceded playfully and leaned back with a wink, "Alrighty, sugar keep your secrets then."

The dull roar of the mess hall fell to an earie silence when the door burst open revealing an exhausted looking Wolf. "Princess Sally," he called out and quickly approached the table.

"Gregory," Sally responded, "Aren't you supposed to be in the watch tower? Is there something wrong?"

"It's Sir Charles," The wolf said blankly and handed over a rolled-up note, "He requests your presence as soon as possible."

Sonic and sally exchanged concerned looks as they read over the letter that was delivered. The elder hedgehog had indeed requested their presence with utmost urgency, but had instructions to arrive at dusk.

Tails, of course seemed rather downtrodden at the news, but in return, Sonic and Sally promised the kit an extended bedtime story for the following night. The fox seemed placated with the proposition and graciously accepted Bunnie's offer to take Sally's place for the evening.

The freedom fighters soon disbanded from the mess hall to set about their daily tasks and to make preparation for a trip to Robotropolis.

Under a dim light, resting on a large operating table, Nick's body lay motionless. Several wires protruded from the coyote's chrome-infected arm and lead to various computer monitors.

The flashing screens were flooded with various forms of numerical code. The red digits were juxtaposed against their black background as they scurried downward and out of view.

To the untrained eye, they were simply numbers racing across the screen, but to Dr. Robotnik, they were a cavalcade of information.

The wicked being gently scratched at his chin as if deep in thought and a low girthy growl emanated from his throat. The codes were a history of commands to not only the robian's mechanical features, but various organic systems that allowed the body to function.

Robotnik waited, despite his growing intolerance of such a painstaking process. Every bodily function had been programmed with very specific instruction, yet somehow, they had been overridden. By some miraculous glitch, an outside force had halted the elimination of one Princess Sally Acorn.

Based on the subject's testimony, it was as if the specimen's mind had survived and managed to usurp dominance over the programming, if only for a moment.

It proved to be enough of a rattling experience for Robotnik to relinquish his egotistical manner. He was but one subject away from exterminating any and all resistance. He only needed one subject, the two tailed fox. The young boy with his natural ability of flight would be weaponized into a ravanger of death, the likes of which the world had never seen.

The roboticized fox would pose a great threat not only as a literal weapon, but would unleash a tirade of psychological warfare against the freedom fighters. The unimaginable horror those rodents would experience brought a demented smile to the human's face. One might even go so far as to say, he was giddy.

Of course, once the fox had fulfilled his purpose, Robotnik would destroy the mutant creature with his bare hands. The adolescent canine would surely pay for the destruction of his precious roboticizer as well as the death of his nephew, turned lackey.

The thought of the fox enjoying a sense of peace and security filled him with a seething rage. So much so that Robotnik found it rather tempting to plow his metal appendages into the computers in front of him.

Only one thing stopped him, the promised prospect of ultimate domination and even sweeter, revenge.

"Anomaly detected," A grainy computerized voice rang out. Just as stated, the unauthorized commands were highlighted in green.

Robotnik's eye scoured the commands and he leaned in with intrigue. "Very interesting," He stated with venomous anticipation. "Very interesting."

The computerized mind of the robian coyote never ceased it whirring. There was something oddly… familiar about the chipmunk and fox he encountered the previous night.

Seeing as the artificial intelligence had never interacted with either of the mobians, it decided to research the host's mind. Perhaps the original subject's memory banks held answers that Robotnik had seemed reluctant to provide.

_ACCESSING MEMORY FILES… STAND BY… INITIALIZING SEARCH… RUNNING PROGRAM_

_Nick crouched and watched as the other freedom fighters crawled out into the open until their image was consumed by the smog. The coyote brought himself back and around the corner and allowed his back to rest against the wall of the dilapidated building. _

_The crimson liquid that lazily dripped from the soaked bandage gave Nick a cause for concern, he would no doubt need antibiotics to stave off an infection of his wound. Such resources were incredibly scarce and as a result, he might be robbing another mobian of life-saving drugs. _

_His moment of contemplation drifted back to the mission at hand and more so the ultimate objective. Nick vaguely knew Tails; he'd never invested much time in interacting with a child literally a third of his own age. _

_Though he had to admit that the child was an incredible morale booster. Tails had a certain vibrance that always made his presence known and the youthful spark of hope was an inspiration to continue fighting. The small fox always had a way of making all of them smile even after their worst failures. _

_Princess Sally also had a very special bond with the fox and their interactions were heartwarming to watch. Nearly every freedom fighter had at least known their family, but it was different for Tails. _

_Sally was the closest thing the kid had to a parental figure in his life. Nick had only witnessed small scenes of their relationship, but it was evident just how much the Princess loved that little fox. To Nick that was more than enough motivation to do everything in his power to bring the child back home safely._

"_Biological material identified; sector Alpha 1-6," The tinny voice and approaching clanking footsteps caused Nick's heart to drop as he was broken from his stupor. The dripping blood from his wound had led a sentry unit right to their location. _

"_BIOMASS DETECTED! EMINATE FREEDOM FIGHER!"_

_Nick's ears were filled with the preprogrammed battle cry and nearly instantaneously blaster bolts passed overhead. The stray rounds echoed with a harsh snap as they whizzed by him in various directions and passed by so close to his body that Nick could smell the charring of his own fur. _

_Without warning a deafening roar rung out and a subsequent shockwave threatened to knock Nick off his feet. Casting a look back towards the intended target, he saw orange flames defy the night sky as they leapt over the tops of the buildings. _

_Another stray blaster bolt reminded Nick of the pursuant SWAT-Bots and he darted down an adjacent alley and continuously weaved through the darkened streets. _

_The coyote's lungs began to burn with unprecedented ferocity as Nick continued to push his body past its limit. Despite his growing exhaustion, he had managed to create a buffer between himself and his relentless pursuers. _

"_Fire in the hole!" Sally's voice rang out through the wrist communicator and subsequently a second and more intense explosion erupted. The concussive force of the shockwave rattled in Nick's chest and robbed his lung of oxygen. _

_Nick tumbled to the ground and his body desperately sucked in the polluted air. His lungs burned with greater intensity from the harsh intake of the noxious fumes and in response he coughed and wheezed uncontrollably. _

_Bedraggled boots pushed against the tore up turf as Nick attempted to abscond to a place of cover, but his body only moved at an agonizingly sluggish pace. He looked down at the communicator and the princess that he loyally served flashed in his mind. _

"_Princess Sally?" Nick called out, "Princess Sally, are you alright? Please respond!"_

_After a moment of excruciating quiet, filled only with the sound of approaching SWAT-Bots, Sally finally responded. "I'm here. Where are you? What happened?"_

_Internally, the coyote was rejoicing, although all his body could muster in celebration was a sigh of relief. "I'm a quarter click north of the blast sight." _

_Nick's ears twitched as the clanking footsteps drew closer. His lungs released a defeated sigh when he saw the ominous red glow piercing through the smog. "I diverted the last few SWAT-Bots. Don't worry about me just continue on the miss-"_

_A blaster bolt tore directly through Nick's wrist and the remaining energy impacted against his chest. _

_Nick attempted to take in a breath, but only a raspy, wet, rattling wheeze emanated from his airways. Every attempt at inhalation was met with unbearable pain and the sensation of his throat filling with a thick liquid._

_Defiantly, Nick never allowed his head to rest against the pavement. With fleeting strength he attempted to swat at the mechanical arms that reached down and lifted him off the ground. _

_The last image before the memory terminated was of the flames that danced in the distance. The glowing colors twisted, turned, and smeared against the backdrop of nightfall. It was a strangely beautiful sight, like a water color in the rain._

_DATA SEQUENCE COMPLETE… PROGRAM TERMINATED…_

Nick's mind became lucid albeit with in a rather lethargic and exhausted state. He found himself once again bound by chains, but now, not only were his arms restrained, but his legs as well.

The coyote desperately thrashed about trying to free his limbs and the resulting clattering of the iron filled up the dark expanse. The distant reverberations and echoes threatened to drive the captive mobian mad.

The clanging was slowly replaced by a familiar voice that echoed in the distance. The distorted phonation only came through in a slurry of mangled words, but he could discern who the voice belonged to. That slimy tone could only be attributed to Dr. Robotnik.

He had been returned to the City of the Damned. A fresh wave of dread assaulted his mind as he was reminded of the events, he could only hope he had prevented.

A familiar burning drilled into his head and projected onto a wall was the image of Knothole, more specifically, it was a hut in the center of the village. A domicile that was occupied by Sally and a tiny fox kit that sat in her lap. He watched with intrigue as he allowed the memory to drown out Robotnik's voice.

_With pained eyes, Nick watched as Sally gently consoled the crying child. Somehow the scene seemed so natural and he faintly heard the melody of a lullaby. The music floated out of the open window and wrapped itself around his ears._

"_So there's no need to be afraid, all the whole night through because I've made a promise that I'll take good care of you. Starlight on the window sill, moonbeams through the trees. Love that wraps you up so tight and shines where no one sees."_

_The almost angelic voice captivated the coyote and he watched as the kit's eyes slowly shut and his body relaxed. "All that you've been dreaming of will meet you when you rise. So with the peace that mommy brings, close your sleepy eyes."_

_Sally slowly maneuvered the already sleeping child under the covers and kissed his little forehead. She offered a smile when her eyes met Nick's._

He'd nearly forgotten about that memory and he could still hear the crying of the little child as he begged for his mommy. Even now, the memory was a bittersweet moment that caused his heart to ache.

Nick's by silent and peaceful reflection was suddenly torn apart by Robotnik's booming voice, "Burn their village to ashes!"

"Yes sir."

As soon as the sun had begun to set, Sonic and Sally jettisoned their way towards Robotropolis. It was infrequent that Sonic's Uncle Chuck requested their presence with such urgency and the content of his letter filled Sally with a great sense of unease.

Robotnik had apparently fashioned a new weapon and the freedom fighters would have to be prepared for such an imminent and domineering threat. Much to his dismay, Sonic's gut feeling had unfortunately been true.

Sonic slowed to a stop and placed Sally on her feet in front of the inconspicuous entry way and he gently knocked on the same rusty garbage can.

A familiar hiss escaped the section of refuse and subsequently a secret entryway was revealed. The two mobians quickly descended the staircase before the hatch was resealed behind them.

"What's the news Uncle Chuck?" Sonic asked, unceremoniously skipping all forms of pleasantries.

Charles sighed heavily though his mechanized body expelled no air. "It would appear that one of your fellow freedom fighters was taken captive and roboticized."

Tapping his foot with growing impatience, Sonic gave his uncle an unamused glare, "So? We've lost quite a few friends that way."

"I'm afraid this one is different, Sonny Boy," Charles retorted, "He's been only been partially roboticized, which as you can imagine poses an even greater threat."

"Wait," Sally interjected and looked at Sonic, "Didn't you say that the skunk had mentioned something similar?"

"Yeah," Sonic said as his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. "That's what Ro-butt-nik wanted Tails for. You have any ideas on how to deal with this… robian?"

"Only thing I can think of is if you can get him to grab a power ring," The elderly robian stated with fleeting hope. "That should grant him a temporary period of sentience, after which would require a massive amount of energy for it to be permanent."

"Well, next power ring will be coming up in about an hour," Sally stated while checking her wrist communicator, "We should head back."

"Be safe you two," Charles warned heavily, "This weapon isn't like anything we've seen before."

"No prob, Uncle Chuck!" Sonic stated with a routine thumbs up and an over heightened sense of confidence.

Sally bid Charles farewell after he escorted them to the top of the staircase. Immediately all three were filled with a sense of dread when they looked to the south. Tearing into the sky was a tower of smoke that stemmed from the direction of knothole.

Immediately, Sonic and Sally tore through the forest, all they could do now was hope they weren't too late.

**A/N Well there was chapter Nine! Thanks for reading and if you'd be so kind, please leave a review and let me know what you think! As always Rock on and God Bless!**


	10. Dominant Threat

**A/N What's up y'all? So here is chapter Ten! I had a pretty good time writing this chapter so I'm hoping y'all like it. So please, enjoy!**

Dominant Threat

Tails sat at the edge of the ring pool and watched his reflection slowly deform and blur when the breeze disturbed the water below. There it was again; the familiar sense of loneliness that chipped away at his soul.

A sigh escaped his lips as his chest deflated and he sank his chin into the palms of his hands. Tails had spent the majority of his day at the dirt hockey rink and even saw Sonic and Sally off when they left. He'd had fun slapping the hockey puck into the net and he even received the funny kiss from his Aunt Sally, yet his solitude was burdensome.

The water licking at his sneakers brought Tails out of his thoughts and he saw a second reflection beside him. He focused hard on the mysterious image but the figure's face was obscured by the shadow of the setting sun and the choppiness of the water.

The fur on his tails and back began to bristle and stand on end when he saw the glimmer of polished metal in the reflective liquid. The image was reminiscent of Bunnie, but this mobian lacked the smaller frame of the rabbit.

Tails risked a peak to his rear while simultaneously preparing to dive into the shallow pool of water and make a hasty escape.

"Bonjour, mon ami," Antoine greeted the fox as he casually leaned onto his sabre like a cane. "Forgive me if were to be scaring you, young Tails. Madam Bunnie has sent me to tell you zat, how you say? Ze soup is off."

The kit released a sigh and his body relaxed upon seeing the coyote and chuckled, "I think you mean the soup's on, 'Twan."

"Oui, oui," The Frenchman said with an amused smile. Although he was never particularly close with the fox, the presence of such an innocent spark always brightened his day. "Come now, young Tails, we do not wish to keep ze others waiting."

Tails scurried alongside Antoine and watched with intrigue as he sheathed his sword. It was rather infrequent that Tails was able to see the silver sabre in the open. Anytime Antoine was seen practicing his swordsmanship, it was always with a model blade carved out of wood.

"So, what happened to your arm?" Tails' question broke the quiet between the two.

Antoine looked down at the kit with surprised expression. Tails had been back in Knothole for two weeks and only just now had he finally asked about the injury. He debated on whether or not to answer the question honest, seeing as the lad was only a boy.

"Ah, I suffered ze wound in a fierce battle!" Antoine answered in a pompous tone. Tails, however, rolled his eyes at the predictability of the coyote's response. Maybe he'd ask his Aunt Bunnie.

As the two canines approached the mess hall Bunnie stood in the doorway and watched with amusement as Tails reacted to the heavenly scent of freshly cooked salmon. "Mmm," Tails sounded off in anticipation while eagerly rubbing his belly and licking his chops.

"Y'all come wash up!" Bunnie announced before she halted Tails as he was about to pass the threshold. "But hold on you little rascal!" The fox let forth a hollering laugh when Bunnie reached down and tickled his furry belly.

Between fits of laughter, Tails begged for mercy and attempted to push back against the rabbit. When she finally relented in her assault she knelt down and planted a quick peck on the top of the kit's head before ruffling his hair. "Alright sugar, go get you some supper." Bunnie's smile remained as she watched Tails wait patiently in line for his portion of fish.

The air was suddenly robbed from her lungs when she turned back around. Standing just beyond the doorway was an unexpected visitor. "Nick?" Bunnie asked with a mixture of joy and confusion. "What are y'all doin' here?!"

The coyote stood unmoving with nearly no expression. Bunnie released a sympathetic sigh when her eye's drifted to his left arm and leg, but her expression quickly turned into an unsettled frown at the detail of the appendages.

Unlike her own robotic limbs, Nick's arm and leg were both washed with splotches of brown fur and were far less clunky. Almost as if they were designed for combat.

With speed that could rival the legendary blue hedgehog, Nick's arm jammed itself into Bunnie's chest and sent her sprawling into the cafeteria tables. Upon hearing the commotion, Antoine drew his blade with his uninjured arm and immediately postured himself in a defensive stance.

The roboticized coyote lunged forward, but not directly at Antoine himself, rather slightly to his right, directly where Tails was still in a state of shock. Luckily for the fox, Antoine had maneuvered his blade to block the cyborg's path. With fleeting strength, Antoine looked at the young kit and uttered a single word, "Run."

Tails did as instructed and bolted for one of the windows at the rear of the structure. Behind himself he heard multiple voices heaving in what was an obvious struggle against the robian. He climbed into the window sill and pressed the threshold open and against all logic, he cast a look back.

The greyish blue eyes that he saw locked with his own struck a deep level of fear into the kit. He never knew Nick very well but the lack of life in his irises was terrifying.

The robian's A.I. had yet to truly experience emotions, but it was certain that the sensation it was experiencing was referred to as "frustration." The metal appendage produced a blade and reared back ready to gut the coyote that had allowed the target to escape, but a strong grip halted the attack.

Looking down the robian saw the enraged face of a rabbit with much clunkier metal appendages. The woman's robotic arm pulled heavily on his, so much so that the cyborg was nearly tore off balance. With a swift kick to the midsection, however, the rabbit's grip relented.

The moment of rest was virtually non-existent when Antoine pushed on in an offensive manner, rapidly thrusting the sabre toward Nick's midsection. The superior A.I.'s processing power, however, far outmatched even Antoine's swordsmanship and with one swipe, the blade was yanked from the Frenchman's grip and subsequently crushed.

"Non!" Antoine screeched in sheer dismay. The sword was the last remnant he had of his late father and the destruction of such a sentimental item sent the French coyote into an unprecedented rage.

With little coordination Antoine dove towards the robian, intent on strangling the non-existent life from the cyborg. Unfortunately the A.I. once again proved superior and caught its attacker by the throat.

Nick's fur covered arm hoisted Antoine up into the air until his squirming feet dangled a few inches off of the wooden floor. The Frenchman clawed at the hand constricting around his throat, but the harder he struggled the tighter the grip became.

Antoine stared with fading vision into the eyes of his attacker and in the glassy irises, he saw the briefest flash of anguish. The last sound to hit his ears was a loud crack and in an instant, the coyote's vision faded to black.

Bunnie frantically sucked air into her lungs and looked on in shock and horror as she watched the robian effortlessly hoist Antoine into the air. Mustering all of her remaining strength into one movement, she shifted her weight behind her shoulder and with tremendous force, slammed her metal arm into Nick's ribcage.

The metal on metal contact was muffled by the graphs of fur that covered the artificial bone and the impact resounded with a loud snap. The unexpected blow caused the cyborg to release Antoine who crumpled to the floor in a near lifeless heap.

The roboticized freedom fighter proved much more resilient than his mobian counterparts and assessed his surroundings. During the skirmish the other freedom fighters had managed to evacuate the mess hall leaving Bunnie and Antoine at the mercy of the weaponized coyote.

The rabbit, in her exhausted, state was deemed incapacitated, so with no resistance Nick pulled a burning log from the woodfire stove and set the structure ablaze. The robian sauntered out of the mess hall and began his search for the two tailed fox.

The flames soon consumed the wooden structure and fanned out into the grass between huts. The roaring of the fire joined with the crackling wood and panicked screams to generate a disturbing symphony of destruction. The smoke stretched up to defy the sky overhead in a deathly warning that could be seen for miles.

From beneath the cover of the tree line, Tails witnessed the ascending flames and ensuing chaos, but through the fray, he'd seen neither Bunnie or Antoine emerge from the burning building. He could feel himself being ripped in two distinct directions. His instincts of self-preservation were locked in a stalemate with his loyalty to the other freedom fighters.

Tails was about to turn back and flee into the wilderness of the great forest, but Sally's voice echoed in his mind, "Your parents might not be here, but that doesn't mean you don't have a family."

All of the other freedom fighters had put their very lives on the line for the sake of his own rescue. His family had trudged through the treacherous citadel in an attempt to bring him home. It was true that freedom fighters never left family behind.

Against all instinctual behavior, Tails charged toward the danger with the desperate goal of rescuing Antoine, Bunnie, and anyone else who still might have been trapped. By the time he reached the open window the flames were licking at his fur. Despite the inferno threatening to consume his body, he clambered in through the open window.

The fox crawled through the smoke and smoldering debris to approach the prone form of Antoine and attempted to stir him awake. "Antoine!" Tails called out and pushed on his shoulder. "Antoine get up, we gotta get Bunnie and get out of here, come on!"

"Tails!" Bunnie called out while she attempted to prop herself up on her metal arm. "What are you doing here?" She asked between coughs.

Ignoring her question, Tails grabbed at Antoine's uniform and attempted to drag him toward the door. "I need help with him!" He cried.

Bunnie managed to push herself up to her feet and helped drag the unconscious coyote toward the door. Just as they were under the archway, a smoldering beam gave way and hurtled to the floor, locked in a collision course with the fox.

Tails let out a terrified scream and crouched in preparation for the crushing impact, only it never came. Instead hot embers trailed down into his fur causing him to squirm and frantically pat his body. What he saw when he looked up caused him to freeze in awe and shock. Bunnie's metal arm had halted the massive plank in midair, but the pained expression that spread across her face betrayed her fatigue.

"Move it, sugar!" Bunnie ordered with a wavering tone.

Tails gripped the coyote's jacket and with as much force as his body could muster, he yanked Antoine to safety. He then looked back up to see Bunnie's body begin to give way. With speed that would impress even Sonic himself, Tails wrapped his arms around her midsection and pulled her back just before the massive beam finished its descent.

Releasing several harsh coughs, Bunnie crawled her way toward Antoine and placed two furred fingers on his neck. Much to her relief, there was a faint pulse.

Only a few feet away, Tails sat upright in an obviously exhausted state and offered a weak smile and thumbs up when he caught bunnie's gaze. The short moment of rest was disrupted by the distraught wales of the villagers as multiple other huts began to burn.

"Y'all need to go, Tails," Bunnie stated weakly. it was obvious, even to her, why the robian was here. "We'll come find you when this is all over. I promise, sugar."

"But… But," Tails tried to protest, but before he could form a coherent response, the rabbit cut him off.

"Hush," Bunnie said sternly while firmly gripping his arm. "You're a freedom fighter Tails. Freedom fighters follow orders. Now go!"

Reluctantly, the fox turned back and retreated to the tree line and sought cover in the branches of an oak tree. He watched the madness unfold as the fire consumed everything in its path and the flames lazily crawled hut to hut.

A sudden chill ran down Tails' spine as he laid eyes on the roboticized coyote. The freedom fighter once named Nick had begun dragging multiple mobians to the front of the mess hall. The anguished screams of the non-combatant villagers threated to make his ears bleed as the fire began to scorch their fur.

The color ran from Tails' face upon hearing Nick's voice cut through the mix of sound and brought all other voices to a hush. "Miles Prower! Give yourself up and I will spare these villagers!" The robian slowly waved his furred hand in a broad gesture to encompass the crowd.

"If you do not comply," Nick's voice raged on as he raised his mechanical arm and brandished a chrome plated blade. "I will slaughter each and every one of them! Starting with the rabbit!"

"Aunt Bunnie," Tails whispered in quiet distress and watched as the robian lifted Bunnie's head up by her hair and exposed her throat.

"Don't listen to him, Miles!" Bunnie wailed. "You just stay hidden!"

Tails covered his eyes while he waited for the tsunami of distraught cries yet they never arose. Instead one voice barely reached his ears, one so familiar that despite the current situation, he even drew the slightest amount of comfort from it.

"Nick?!" Sally's voice cried out.

Under the canopy of the great forest, the environment was vast and teeming with life. The sun's fading rays lazily poked through the tree tops, generating small pockets of light that illuminated the world below.

Sonic sped through the timberland with incredible urgency, there was no denying that the tower of smoke had indeed stemmed from knothole. Numerous concerns flooded his mind, but one such individual ruled above the rest, Tails. The thought of the child perishing in the rubble of a burning building terrified the hedgehog and he pushed his legs harder and harder.

Sally was equally distraught. The thought of Robotnik knowing the exact whereabouts of Knothole chilled her to her feet. Such knowledge could easily be used to turn the tide of the war further in the tyrant's favor and put everyone she ever cared about at extreme risk.

Something off in the distance just askew to her right caused Sally's heart to drop to the pit of her stomach. Sonic felt the chipmunk's body tense and cast a brief glance in the direction that held her gaze.

There, plowing through the timberland, was a convoy of SWAT-Bots and various other tools of destruction and deforestation. Resting lazily at the rear of the pack, Robotnik sat in metal throne that was deformed and partially melted.

Somehow, the massive caravan had managed to depart from the city without alerting Sir Charles. The village of Knothole was about to be blindsided and destroyed by the technological tyrant and there was little anyone could do to stop it.

Deciding he had to do something to try, Sonic jettisoned forward leaving a retracting wind his wake that threatened to uproot the nearby trees when he took off. He knew there was only a few klicks between Knothole and its utter destruction and Sonic knew what he had to do.

Sliding to a halt only a stone's throw from the ring pool, Sonic hastily dropped off Sally and without a single word, he took back off with the obvious intention to confront Robotnik. Immediately, Sally sprinted toward the center of the chaos, she could chastise Sonic for his recklessness later.

The further Sally pressed forward the louder the panic became and she could feel the heat radiating from the fires. As she neared the center of the village, she heard a familiar voice calling after Tails by his real name. What she saw upon her rival terrified her; Nick stood over Bunnie ready to execute her in front of the village.

"Nick?!" Sally cried out. The glassy eyes that stared back at her struck Sally with a deep sense of dread and guilt.

Slowly the coyote rose to full height upon recognizing the Princess and began moving toward her. Surely the royalty's cries would be sufficient to draw out the fugitive kit. Sally tried to run, but a sharp pain pierced her leg and she fell to the ground in a heap.

Risking a peek at her right leg, she saw a silver blade embedded into her thigh. Blood quickly stained the grass under her body as Sally frantically crawled backwards. The princess begged and pleaded for mercy, but the coyote pursued all the same and soon Nick's body towered over her own. No matter how much she wanted to, Sally couldn't tear her eyes away from the soulless eyes that stared back at her.

Just as the metal arm began to descend towards Sally' throat a large, blubbery set of arms wrapped around the coyote's neck and pulled him back. "Oh no you don't!" Rotor declared angrily.

The walrus whipped his body around and threw the coyote several yards and subsequently prepared himself for the oncoming assault. Rotor's stoic expression morphed into confusion as a stone crashed into the coyote's head at a blistering speed.

"You want me? Here I am!" Tails yelled with false bravado. He nervously stared down the robian and readied his dirt hockey stick.

"Tails, no!" Sally cried in utter distress upon seeing the fox.

Nick rose back to his feet; his expression still void of emotion as blood trickled from his forehead. The faintest of growls escaped his lips and his voice was just above a whisper, "You're going to regret that."

The coyote rushed forward in a burst of speed and instantly, Tails took the sky where he thought he'd be far from the cyborg's reach. Unfortunately, his tactic was rendered ineffective when the coyote launched a clump of dirt into the kit's spinning tails.

The fox plummeted to the ground below and disappeared into a cloud of dust when the dirt hockey rink broke his fall. Sally watched the spectacle unfold with an extremely distraught expression. She was so overcome that she found herself unable to even call out to the child.

Tails winced as he sat himself up on the ground, a jolting pain consumed his left arm and he found himself unable to move it. Through the wall of settling debris, he could see the approaching silhouette and reached out and took hold of his broken hockey stick to prop himself up.

Tails had foolishly launched himself into the face of danger in order to protect his Aunt Sally, but he simply couldn't help himself. She was the closest thing he'd ever had to family and he would do anything to protect the ones he loved. Although he was weak, tired, and obviously injured, he just had to hold out until Sonic arrived.

Gritting his teeth, Tails prepared to propel himself forward with the assistance of his namesakes, but Nick was almost upon him. So he reared back and with all of the strength his small body could muster, Tails blindly swung what was left of his hockey stick and connected with the robian's knee.

The coyote's leg buckled and Tails took the opportunity to blast from the rink towards the ring pool. He'd seen Sonic use power rings several times and had heard numerous stories of their massive energy potential. Perhaps, he himself could tap into such power.

Tails had memorized the ring generator's schedule and he knew one would be arriving soon, but he hoped he wasn't early. Risking a peak back, the robian had already begun to close the distance and despite his body's protest he pushed himself harder and faster.

Even as the pond came into view, Tails didn't dare to slow his speed. The rushing wind blowing past his ears suddenly came to a halt as his body was swallowed by the cool water. Bubbles rushed from Tails' mouth as he released a pained scream beneath the surface, his arm was engulfed with even more fiery pain than before.

The muffled impact of another body entering the water reminded him of his dire situation and he frantically twirled his tails and kicked his feet. Through blurry vision, Tails was able to see the faint golden glow of a power ring, shortly before it made its ascent.

The submerged kit gripped the circular band but it refused to budge. Panic filled his body as he came to the unfortunate reality, he was too early. He began thrashing about violently as he felt a cold metallic hand grip his injured arm.

The usually placid water was extremely turbulent and choppy as the two mobians struggled underneath the surface. The world above fell deathly silent as the bubbles began to slow and the body of water began to calm. The only sound to be heard was from the rippling waves as they gently lapped against the bank.

Sally's heart froze, she felt as if she were asphyxiating while she waited for the two tailed fox to breach the surface. Every instinct told her to rush into the water to save the young child, but her injured leg kept her from moving.

"Hang on kid!" Rotor's voice tore through Sally's distress as he charged toward the pool. The subsequent splash echoed through the village like a deafening explosion when the walrus dove into the shallow body.

The water consumed Rotor's body and he felt an uncomfortable pressure assault his sinuses as he rapidly descended toward the bottom of the pool. What he saw upon his arrival was horrific, Tails was unmoving in the coyote's grasp. The boy's mouth hung open lazily as if he were yawning and Rotor watched as the last few bubbles escaped from his airways.

Suddenly filled with unmatched rage, the walrus assaulted the robian and wrapped his meaty hands around the coyote's neck. Their movements felt sluggish and they appeared to be moving in slow motion. With a hard shove to the robian's throat, Tails' arm slipped out of the metallic grip and his body slowly came to rest at the bottom of the pool.

Rotor continued his assault and successfully suppressed the robian's forward movement. Nick's metal arm reached down to grab a hold of an object to use against the blubbery beast, and his grip and a large round object became ensnared in his grip.

Instantly, the object glowed brightly and the coyote's body went rigid and ceased all movement. The dull glassy blue irises faded to grey and he sank into the muck that lined the pond's floor. Rotor wasted no time scooping up Tails and swimming toward the shimmering light above.

The walrus burst into view carrying the unconscious kit and began desperately crying for help. Upon hearing the supplication, Doctor Quack came to a halt in his route to administer aid to the injured royalty and alternated his gaze between Rotor and Sally.

"Help him!" Sally ordered in a panicked voice, "Help him, please!"

The avian rushed toward the ring pool as instructed and knelt down next to the soaked fox. He lowered his head down to the boy's mouth, yet all he could hear was the ambient noise of burning lumber. Upon seeing Tails' still chest, Quack clasped his hands over the kit's furry chest and pressed firmly below the rib cage.

With the assistance of another freedom fighter, Sally rose to her feet and hobbled toward the scene. Her world came to a screeching halt as she saw water freely flow from the kit's mouth with every compression.

Upon seeing the child in such a condition, all of Sally's strength left her body and she slowly collapsed only feet from Tails. "Miles!" She cried out in an anguished voice and reached out to touch the boy, only for her arm to fearfully retract.

"Don't do this to me again. Not again" Sally pleaded to the fox as well as any divine entity that would dare to listen. "Please… Don't… Don't. Miles please," she begged as her voice began to trail off. The only sounds that remained were the crackling of the fires and Quack's labored breaths.

"Come on kid," Rotor faintly whispered.

"Miles, please," Sally begged. Her hope began to dwindle as the seconds stretched into minutes and the artificial silence was replaced by the efforts of the other freedom fighters to combat the spreading fires.

Finally several labored coughs filled Sally's ears and she watched as Quack rolled Tails onto his side. The fox's eyes remained closed as he expelled the last of the fluid from his lungs and he frantically sucked in air.

"Mommy?" Tails croaked as his exhausted eyes began to slowly pry open.

"I'm here," Sally reassured and crawled to the kit's side. "It's okay, honey. You're okay."

"My… My arm hurts," Tails whined. Sally inspected the kit's arm and was sickened to see that the limb was hyper-extended by a severe amount.

"Don't worry young man," The avian reassured the boy gently, "We'll get you and Princess Sally taken care of."

Just then a familiar crackle sounded through the air and Sonic came rushing through the tree line and skidded to a stop in the middle of the scene. His face was bruised and scraped and for the first time since Robotnik's coup, Sonic looked terrified.

"Sally," He said with shaking breath, "we've got a problem."

**A/N Sorry to leave y'all on another cliffhanger, but I'll have the next chapter up, just as soon as I can. Anyway, thank y'all so much for reading and if you'd be so kind, please leave a review and let me know what you think. Anyway as always, Rock on and God Bless!**


	11. Here for War

**A/N Howdy y'all! First off, my apologies for the extended delay on this chapter. I recently lost a friend as well as a family member and I found it to be incredibly difficult to write with the darker setting of this story. However, I'm happy to have finally gotten this chapter done though and I'm hoping you all like it. Anyway, thank you for reading!**

**To my friend Jessica and to my Aunt Virgie, I love and miss you both. I'll see y'all when I get there, but until then, I'll simply wish you were here.**

Here for War

Sonic blasted his way toward the approaching convoy, intent on tearing apart every single SWATBot. He was filled with a mixture of fear, anger, and unease as the sounds of falling trees hit his ears. Upon seeing the first red visor, Sonic revved himself up into a ball and effortlessly cut down the first line of robots.

The hedgehog uncurled and slid to a stop in full preparation for another strafing run, but something seemed wrong. There was no robotic chanting or even belligerent screaming. None of the convoy's members even acknowledged his presence.

"Yo robuttnik!" Sonic called out to the unagitated dictator, "Here I am! You know… Hedgehog priority one?"

Finally, the rotund being turned his ugly head toward the hedgehog who stood confidently while tapping his foot in an impatient manner. "To what do I owe the displeasure, rodent?"

"Awe," Sonic said in a mock hurt tone, "Aren't you glad to see me?"

"Mmm… More than you realize my dear boy," Robotnik growled in a slimy tone, "destroy the hedgehog!"

Upon the command, several robotic servants broke from the pack in pursuit. Sonic was rather confused at the tactic, Robotnik was often brazen and arrogant, but not to such an extent as to only allocate a fraction of his forces.

Nonetheless, the cobalt speedster launched himself at the torso of the leading robot, but a metal body slammed against him mid-flight. The force of the impact sent the spin-dashing hedgehog off course and straight into the base of a cedar tree.

Robotnik's taunting voice hollered with sickening laughter, "I'm afraid our little games have reached their end, rodent!"

When Sonic regained his bearings, he saw something truly unsettling. A semi-roboticized skunk stood across from him. All four limbs were coated immaculately with chrome, though his torso and head appeared to have been untouched.

"You must forgive my tardiness in debuting my latest creation," The tyrant said with amusement dripping from his tongue. "This particular subject had a will that would not be easily broken, unlike your fellow freedom fighter."

Sonic's heart dropped to the pit of his stomach at the sudden revelation. With not one but two, weaponized robians and quite possibly a subsequent third, the tide of the war was swung in Robotnik's favor, if not outright guaranteeing him ultimate victory.

"So that's your plan to capture Tails?" Sonic asked with a mask of confidence.

"Oh it is so much more than that, hedgehog!" Robotnik's voice resounded as his remaining eye intensified its stare upon Sonic. "I'm going to burn your little village to ashes and slaughter your pathetic friends. One by one." The speedster's unsettled countenance stroked the tyrant's ego and his words further drew out like a blade. "You see, rodent… I'm not just here for the boy. I am here for war."

Before Sonic could form a snarky quip, the roboticized skunk slammed his metal fist into the his cheek. The initial shock provided St. John enough time to sweep out his opponent's legs leaving Sonic's whole body open and vulnerable.

The lightning fast hedgehog rolled out from beneath an oncoming metallic fist which slammed heavily into the dirt where his chest once occupied. Sonic readied himself for a spin-dash, but the assailant robian was already upon him.

The two slammed into one another, each one trying to overthrow the other. Sonic's speed and knowledge in hand to hand combat was quickly outmatched by the robian's sheer strength and he was promptly run over. In one consecutive movement St. John used his momentum to fully mount his target's chest, nearly immobilizing Sonic.

With blistering speed, metallic fists rained down upon the hedgehog. It was only due to his supernatural speed that Sonic was able to avoid even a portion of the strikes. He planted his feet on the hard forest floor and with a strong heave, he managed to buck St. John off balance. It was a moment of perceived weakness that Sonic attempted to exploit. With swift speed he slid out from beneath his captor and immediately wrapped his arm around the skunk's neck. The initial reaction from the robian allowed Sonic to believe that he had a momentary advantage. Unfortunately, his idealistic position was shattered when St. John used Sonic's weight against him.

In an instant, the skunk had flipped Sonic over his shoulder and once more, the blue hedgehog was left exposed. Instead of attempting a strike however, St. John opted for a dominant position of side-control and pinned the hedgehog under his body.

"Do it!" Robotnik's excited voice raged, "Exterminate that hedgehog!"

Sonic looked to his side and saw the approaching figure of a SWATBot, blaster rifle in hand. As quickly as he could, he wrapped his free arm around St. John's neck, taking hold of his wrist with his pinned hand and squeezed all his might.

Several pressure point alarms flashed in the skunk's vision as the metal vertebrae were dangerously close to being snapped apart. Just as Sonic predicted, the robian began to maneuver his way to a more dominant position. Sonic wrapped his legs around one of St. John's metal appendages and swiftly rolled over, putting himself on top.

The blue combatant quickly curled his body into a ball to avoid any possible chokes and shifted his weight, causing himself to roll to the side. As soon as his body touched the earth, however, Sonic used the ground as a launching pad to effortlessly cut down the approaching SWATBot.

Finally, with room to run, Sonic made another attempt at targeting the tyrant only to be suppressed by a flurry of blaster fire. Caught in the tizzy of dodging plasma bolts, Sonic failed to notice the robian release a chrome coated arrow. The metal projectile missed its mark by mere inches and only grazed Sonic's cheek, drawing a faint amount of blood.

The hedgehog had no time to react as the blaster bolts ceased their onslaught, only to be replaced by the charging of a roboticized skunk. Sonic prepared himself to block another incoming fist as St. John's arm extended forward.

Alternatively, the metal appendage folded in and delivered an elbow to Sonic's cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground. The unexpected strike was followed up with several swift kicks, of which Sonic was only able to successfully dodge and block a small portion.

St. John's pursuit was utterly relentless, something that seemed to be foreign to Robotnik despite his overwhelmingly ominous nature. Sonic was legitimately beginning to worry, there was no possible way for him to take on this adversary on his own.

With his mental admittance, Sonic blasted toward Knothole, with the intent to either disperse the village or mount some kind of last-ditch effort to deter the oncoming convoy. The sound of his own sonic boom resounded loudly in his ear as he approached knothole and came skidding to a stop.

"Sally," Sonic said with an unprecedented amount of worry. "We've got a problem."

"What is it?" She asked while looking up from inspecting Tails' arm.

"Uncle Chuck's intel was off; there's two of them. We've gotta…" Sonic's speech fell short once he absorbed the sight before him. Sally had a rather large silver blade embedded into her thigh and kit's left arm was hyperextended by a severe margin.

"What happened?" He asked as he descended into a borderline panic.

"Nick happened," Rotor stated with a sense of exhaustion, "but he's in the bottom of the ring pool. I think he grabbed hold of the power ring."

"Alright," Sonic nodded and breathed in heavily. "Rotor, Doc, we need to get Sal and Tails out of here."

"It hurts!" Tails suddenly blurted out and his face puckered as if he'd eaten a sour fruit. "It hurts!" He whined again when the avian helped him to sit up, "My arm hurts real bad!"

"I know little buddy," Sonic said and squatted down in front of Tails to address him on an even level, "but I need you to be strong, okay? You need to take care of Sal for me."

"But Sonic," he attempted to protest, but was immediately cut off by the hedgehog.

"Now's not the time, Miles," Sonic stated firmly, "Follow Doctor Quack and Rotor and do as they say. Understand?"

"What about you?" Sally asked with a breaking voice. She knew exactly what the hedgehog's answer would be, but she didn't want to accept it, nor was she ready to.

"I'll hold them off; you guys get out of here and head west toward Lupe's turf. The Wolf pack'll make sure you guys stay safe."

"Wait," Dr. Quack interjected, "I insist that Princess Sally and Tails be patched up first. They are in no condition to travel long distance."

"Make it quick, doc!" Sonic ordered, "We don't have much time."

The avian produced a tourniquet from his medical bag and wrapped it tightly around Sally's leg. He then readied several thick bandages to cover the open wound that the blade would leave behind when removed. "Tails; look away honey," Sally said.

The young fox did as instructed and closed his eyes tightly. He listened to the doctor count down from three to one. The sound of the blade being removed was sickening and only faintly covered by Sally's harsh hiss. Quickly enough, her thigh was wound tight with a thick white bandage, though the tourniquet remained.

"Alright," Quack said and moved towards Tails. "I'm going to need to see your arm, son." The kit's ears flattened against his head and he began to nervously shake upon the doctor's request.

"Sonic, I need you to grab a long straight branch that I can use as a splint."

"On it," Sonic replied and in a blink of an eye, the hedgehog returned with a long sturdy branch and handed it to the duck.

"Tails, take Sonic's hand. I want you to squeeze really hard if it hurts," Quack issued one final order.

"Just keep your eyes on me, kid," Sonic said with a reassuring smile.

Without so much as counting down, the avian snapped Tails' arm back into place. Upon the sudden jolt of pain, the fox gripped Sonic's hand harder than ever thought possible and his teeth threatened to crack under the pressure of his clenched jaw.

"Well done, young man," Quack gave the fox praise and affixed his arm to the branch. "That'll do for now."

The sound of splashing water echoed through the air like a deafening explosion. Rising from the disturbed surface was the roboticized coyote that had previously wreaked havoc on the village. "Time to go!" Rotor shouted worriedly.

With their full attention set on the returning threat, St. John silently and swiftly approached the small group of mobians.

Sonic released a heavy grunt when he was suddenly bludgeoned in the back of his head by heavy metallic hand and fell face first into the dirt below. Immediately the robian turned his attention to the fox kit.

Before he could reach his intended target, a large blubbery beast stepped in front of his path. The walrus readied himself in a defensive posture, but with a sharp kick to his knee, Rotor's leg buckled beneath his own body weight. Subsequently, the skunk delivered a blow to his chin and Rotor was laid out and unconscious.

Sally instinctively sheltered Tails with her body, as if somehow, she'd be an immovable object. She felt the child quivering beneath her frame and his warm breath did little to combat the ominous frigid cold that had begun to consume her being.

Sally felt her vest pull tight against her shoulders and she was suddenly flung several feet away from the kit. "NO!" She immediately cried, "Please don't take my baby!"

"Mommy!" Tails' blood curdling scream filled her ears and she watched helplessly as the kit was lifted by the scruff of his neck while he reached out for her. "Help! Help me, please!" The kit began to kick and squirm violently as tears freely poured from his eyes. He continued his desperate wails even as the skunk began to turn around and depart toward the tree line.

In the dark blackness of a seemingly empty and endless void, silence reigned supreme. The air was thin and harshly frigid like that of a towering mountain peak. A lone figure laid flat on his back as mist escaped from his mouth with every labored breath.

Only moments ago Nick had been forced to watch himself perform the bidding of Ivo Robotnik, yet he was once again freed from his chains. He wasn't sure what had happened, but his body had been set ablaze by a tremendous electric shock and he had found himself once again drenched in darkness.

The coyote absentmindedly inspected his arm, wondering what was truly going on in the outside world. His body rattled itself in response to the thought of an all too realistic outcome that he may have caused. Nick was utterly terrified of what horrors he would come to find if he were to ever escape from his hellish void.

A distant, but clearly unsettled voice rang in his ears, "Sally, we've got a problem." He instantly recognized Sonic's somewhat nasally voice and his heart sank at the thought of what had taken place. Just then a speck of light broke through the darkness and Nick took his cue and began running. He pushed his body faster and harder than ever before and watched with intense anticipation as the illumination became brighter and brighter as he ran.

Finally, the image was beginning to clear and he could vaguely make out what appeared to be small, choppy waves. Upon further inspection, Nick realized that they were in fact ripples, but the point of view was from beneath the surface of the water.

With a sudden jolt, the coyote was thrust back into his body. The dull irises flared back to life with a radiant blue and the robotic limbs ripped away from the muck of the ring pool. It was a strange experience to be resting beneath the surface with no fear of drowning or bodily request for oxygen.

Nick cast his thoughts aside and pushed his body above the surface and scanned the area in front of him. He was in fact at the ring pool and ensnared in his grip was large golden band. He noticed that the object had a subtle glow, but the aura quickly fizzled out.

He was holding a power ring. The mystical object, filled with a power thought only to be accessible to Sonic, had somehow granted him control over his own body once more. Slowly, he waded his way out of the ring pool only to catch a glimpse of a second robian.

The sight was startling, Robotnik had kept a second subject completely secret. Even his AI's programming was completely unaware of the skunk's existence and failed to produce any kind of profile for the being.

"No! Please don't take my baby!" Sally's piercing cry halted him in his tracks and he was devoured by an overwhelming sense of shame. The child's banshee like screams broke him from his momentary stupor and immediately, Nick lurched forward.

The roboticized skunk was turning around to escort his prize back to Robotropolis as he'd been instructed, but another robian suddenly blocked his path. "Subject One-One-Seven stand down, by order of Robotnik."

"Let the kid go!" Nick ordered fiercely.

Upon the cyborg's lack of submission, St. John immediately scanned him. The coyote's profile was displayed as well was the actions that would be taken.

_TARGET IDENTIFIED… DESIGNATION: HOSTILE… DIRECTIVE PRIORITY STATUS UPDATED: ELIMINATE RESISTANCE_

Without further hesitation, St. John cocked his right wrist forward and shot a chrome plated arrow from the top of his forearm. The metal bolt pierced the coyote's midsection and the skunk followed up his initial attack by striking the rear of the bolt and driving it further into Nick's stomach.

Nick was taken aback by the experience, his nerves seemed to be somehow neutralized in some capacity. He'd felt the impacts of the prior strikes and could physically see the blood from the wounds, yet he felt no pain.

Once the initial shock wore off, Nick used his left leg to sweep the skunk's legs from under him with furious speed and tremendous force. The impact sounded off with a metallic clang that reverberated through the air and left a considerable dent in the skunk's metal shin.

When his captor fell, Tails seized the opportunity to escape and with the last of his strength, he pulled free from the skunk's iron grip, leaving only a clump of fur caught in the metal digits. St. John stretched out his hand to once again secure his target, but it was promptly halted by Nick's foot.

The coyote watched Tails scurry back toward Sally whom tightly embraced the kit and was quickly escorted away from the scene by other freedom fighters. His moment of rest and relief was short lived as another metal bolt pierced his torso, just beneath his sternum.

Several warning messages filled Nick's vision, declaring that his vital organs had sustained critical damage. He was rather confused at the admonitory, he was roboticized; how could he still have organic tissue?

Deciding he could solve the mystery another time, Nick turned his full attention back to the roboticized skunk. He raised his furred foot in preparation to neutralize his target, but instead St. John swung his legs around and quickly forced Nick to the ground.

Due to his inexperience in hand to hand combat, the coyote unwittingly put himself in a rather vulnerable state and subsequently found himself in a leg lock. Without mercy, St. John leveraged the metal appendage until it finally snapped out of place.

With the coyote in a relatively immobilized state, St. John rose to his feet in preparation to chase down the small group of freedom fighters, but was tripped up by Nick's outstretched arm. The skunk fell onto his chest and the coyote seized the moment and quickly crawled onto his back.

St. John's programming sensed his opponent's movement and at precisely the right time, the skunk bucked the coyote off of his body. Sparing no moment for rest, the he followed through with his assault and moved his arm into position to deposit a bolt directly into Nick's forehead.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Nick absorbed the scene, he'd found himself in. Various memories flashed in his mind, from hearing his own mother's lullabies to his last mission with the Freedom Fighters. He knew that death was waiting for him. So in the end, Nick would choose to smile.

Another chrome plated blade immerged from Nick's wrist and he plunged it as deep into the skunk's midsection as he could. Fresh blood poured from the wound and drenched the coyote in a blanket of crimson. Nick twisted his wrist and pushed even harder against the roboticized skunk until he was flat on his back.

The coyote followed with the movement and dropped his elbow in a hard strike and connected the skunk's throat. Immediately the black furred robian began to shake and his vision was filled with various warnings before his vision went dark. Nick stared down sadly at the fallen mobian, but remained wary despite St. John's seemingly incapacitated nature.

Looking up at him were a pair of purple eyes that betrayed an unfathomable amount of anguish and grief. The skunk's programming had lost its communication system to the rest of the body and as such had shut down completely, allowing the skunk a few final moments of consciousness.

Strangely, a smile carved its way into the skunk's face and his lips began to move slowly. The purple irises faded to a dull grey and stared out lifelessly at the expansive sky overhead as he faintly whispered, "The missions, the nightmares… they're finally… over."

Nick stepped away from the deceased robian and frowned. The weight of his actions made itself known in the form a shudder that ran down his spine and an overwhelming feeling of shame and regret that flooded his chest. He'd done what had to do, but the price of another mobian life far outweighed any possible justification. He couldn't bear to see the result of his actions and turned away from St. John. Instead, his eyes moved towards the still prone hedgehog when a faint moan reached his ears.

Sonic's eyes slowly fluttered open but his vision was severely blurred, the sounds and smell of burning lumber drifted into his nostrils and he slowly sat himself upright. "Ugh," he absentmindedly complained, "what happened to my head?"

"The skunk here got you pretty good when you weren't looking."

Sonic whipped his head around at the familiar voice and was met with a rather unsettling sight. Before him was the barely standing form of Nick, albeit partially roboticized and drenched in mostly dried blood. The hedgehog's quills instantly bristled at the sight and readied himself for combat.

"Easy, Sonic. Easy," The coyote said while raising his open palms in a defensive manner. "The power ring I grabbed… I think it gave me control over my own body again."

The hedgehog allowed his body to relax and shook his head to clear his mind. "Good thing, cuz we've got a whole bunch of SWATBots heading this way. Worst of all, 'Buttnik himself is coming too."

"Sounds like a pretty good fight," the coyote commented sarcastically.

"Yeah," Sonic replied in a dry tone, "more like a war."

"Soniiic!" Tails' excited wail caused the hedgehog to turn around in anticipation of even more mayhem, but much to his pleasant surprise, the kit had a power ring in hand.

"Where'd this come from?" Sonic asked with a puzzled expression as the kit handed over the golden band.

"I keep one under my bed. Y'know… for good luck," the fox said sheepishly.

"Thanks lil' bro!" Sonic said with a wink and then gently turned him back toward the awaiting group. "Alright, now get back to the others."

Sonic then turned his eyes skyward as if to thank the heavens above. Somehow fate always seemed to show favor upon the freedom fighters in some way. Just as the wind had convinced Sally to venture to past the outskirts of the village where she'd found Tails, a much-needed power ring had been produced by the kit in an equally miraculous fashion.

Only moments later, the mechanical convoy could be heard rapidly approaching the village. Sonic tightened his grip on the golden ring and readied his body to launch into a spindash, the likes of which the world had never seen. Next to him, Nick had managed to mend his chromium leg and in turn readied himself for combat.

With tremendous force, the last row of trees were toppled to the ground and Sonic launched himself into the first group of SWATBots. He cut through the metallic soldiers like a buzz saw and ricocheted off of the large bulldozer that had been used to knock down the trees.

Nick had immediately assaulted one of the robots and wrenched its head away from the body. Only a sparking metal corpse was left in his wake and he used the robot's head like a mediaeval weapon to knock two more SWATBots' heads away.

Sonic continuously sped around the convoy causing stray rounds of blaster fire to cut down several other more robots. His tactic was initially effective, but was soon worn out when Robotnik caught onto the pattern.

"Focus fire on the coyote!" The wicked doctor bellowed. "Destroy that retched flea bag and execute the princess, but bring the two tailed fox alive!"

Upon hearing the shout, Nick ran for cover but not before a blaster bolt connected with his side. The impact left a large blotch of scorched fur that filled the air with a nauseating stench. Almost instantly, he fell forward in a crumpled mess as several more rounds found their mark.

Subsequently after the coyote's fall, the majority of SWATBots fanned out toward the village. Sonic was out of time and he knew it. The feeling of his heart falling to his stomach nearly brought him to his knees, but the cool metallic band somehow managed to keep his legs from buckling.

The hedgehog gripped the ring tightly and the golden object began to glow. His body was filled with a familiar warmth and in a mere instant, his feelings of fatigue, fear, and despair were replaced with a strange mixture of rage and peace.

The turf beneath his feet violently exploded when Sonic burst forward with unprecedented speed. The blue streak tore through several SWATBots leaving a trail of barely recognizable scrap metal. In a few short moments, nearly every robot had been reduced to a mere paperweight.

Above the carnage and confusion, Tails approached the convoy and dropped several satchel charges atop the vehicles. Robotnik rose from his throne with his finger outstretched toward the airborne fox and readied his lungs to scream another order.

Before the words were able to escape his lips, a mighty roar and scolding heat assaulted his senses and pushed him back several yards. The shockwave from the explosion rattled the dust from every square inch of Knothole and left the bulldozers utterly destroyed.

The force of the blast nearly knocked Sonic off balance, just as the power ring was depleted of its energy. He looked back frantically to see the destroyed remains of the mechanical convoy and a flash of orange was caught in his peripheral vision when Tails landed beside him.

"That was pretty cool, huh, Sonic?" Tails said in an exhausted manner, but his smile still shined brightly.

"Way past, little bro!" Sonic exclaimed and threw his arms out to the side, "Did you do that?"

The fox kit vigorously nodded and turned his head back towards Rotor's workshop, "Aunt Sally let me throw the charges! She said it was the best way to send Robuttnik running."

The cobalt speedster stared incuriously at Tails and pointed at him, "Sal let YOU do that?"

"Yup," Tails said proudly, "I guess that means I'm a real freedom fighter now."

"Tails?" Sally's voice rang out as she hobbled toward the pair and gingerly inspected his arm, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Aunt Sally, honest!" Tails said smugly, but his smile soon fell flat at the sight of the prone coyote. "I think, Nick's hurt pretty bad though."

"Tails? Stay here honey," Sally requested before turning towards the still figure of the roboticized coyote.

Sonic gently scooped her up and jogged over the Nick's body and gently let Sally down. Slowly, he rolled Nick over and in the blue irises was a faint amount of life still shining; although it was quickly fading.

"Did…did we win?" The coyote asked weakly.

"Yeah. We won, Nick," Sally whispered back and took hold of his furred hand. "We couldn't have done it without you."

Nick's eyes slowly blinked and his face betrayed a great amount of worry. "And the kid?" He asked.

"Is safe and sound," Sonic answered back with a sad smile of his own. "Tails is safe thanks to you, pal."

The coyote allowed his head to gently roll back and his eyes stared straight up into the indigo that had begun to stretch across the sky. A small smile crawled across his lips and his irises once again faded to grey as he whispered his final words. "You know how they say when you're dying you see a white light? That's not true… I can't see a…"

"Nick?" Sally whispered softly as tears began to crawl from her eyes.

"M-mom?" Tails' tired and scared voice reached Sally's ears. Immediately she turned around to see the fox only a few feet away with tears streaming from his eyes. "Is he asleep?"

Knowing exactly what he was asking, Sally sadly nodded her head, "Yes, honey. He was very, very tired." Slowly, the little fox closed the distance and wrapped his uninjured arm around Sally and buried his face into her chest.

The chipmunk gently folded her arms around the crying child and simply held him close. She felt a great wave of concern wash over her body at the thought of everything Tails had seen and experienced. She knew all too well, that things would never be the same, but what she didn't know was if anything would ever be okay again.

**Well there was the second to last chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you so much for reading and if you'd be so kind, please leave me a review! Remember to let your friends and family know that you love 'em. You never know when that last chance will be. As always, Rock on and God Bless!**


	12. In the Darkest Nights (Epilogue)

**Alrighty! So here is the final chapter of this story! I'm going with my gut here and keeping it short, sweet, and simple. I want to thank y'all so much for the continuous support, reviews, and overall viewership! You all made writing my first story worth every hour of work I put into it. So again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading! And here we are with the epilogue! Please enjoy!**

In the Darkest Night

In the quiet darkness of Knothole, Tails' eyes fluttered open as he stirred awake. The wooden ceiling of the infirmary held his gaze for several long minutes and he simply listened to the slow and shallow breathing of the other wounded freedom fighters that flanked either side of his cot. He gently picked at the sling that his arm rested in as his thoughts began to set in.

The terrifying scenarios that he'd experienced played in his head over and over. Despite his unsettled nerves, he drew comfort from the mere presence of the other freedom fighters laying only feet from him.

There was a sense of shame that had gnawed at the back of his mind, however. One that he couldn't seem to alleviate. How many other freedom fighters had been injured or even killed for his sake? How much needless suffering had the others endured because of him?

Before long, a slight sniffle escaped from the young fox and he found himself sitting up in his makeshift bed with his knees pulled tightly into his chest. Tails believed and knew that he was somehow responsible the events of the past 24 hours.

If it wasn't for him, nobody would've been injured, Antoine's sword would still be in pristine condition, and Knothole would still be in tact. Tails' emotional descent slowly grew in volume as he was tormented by his own accusing thoughts.

A wet tap of a tear drop hit his leg and like a waterfall they washed over his cheeks. Tails felt even more pathetic and weak than he had prior as he was unable to abstain from crying or keep his weeping silent. "It's all my fault," he quietly whispered to himself. Nick, Knothole nearly being destroyed, all of the sustained injuries and trauma that had been brought upon the villagers, all of it had been a direct result of his very existence.

In his fit of self-loathing, Tails had blocked out the outside world and was somewhat startled by the gentle hand that crawled through his head fur in a comforting manner. Simply by the gentle touch, he knew exactly who it was, but he couldn't bring himself to meet Sally's gaze.

How could she still show him the least amount of affection after all of the trouble he'd caused? How could anybody on the face of mobius even look favorably upon him? How could anyone feel anything but disdain when looking at him or his two tails?

"Shh," Sally gently shushed the child and slowly wrapped her arms around the fox as she sat down. "It's okay, honey. It's okay."

Tails silently shook his head in response and his eyes screwed shut as if her words were of deafening volume. "Everything that's happened has been because of me," he whispered back. "Everybody's hurt because of me, Aunt Sally."

"That's not true," the princess responded firmly.

"Yes, it is," Tails hissed through his tears. "If I hadn't gotten captured, none of this would've happened. I don't belong here, Aunt Sally. I… just don't. _I _led Robotnik to Knothole. _I'm _the reason Nick got turned into a robot. _I'm _the reason everyone's hurt."

Sally's posture sharply shifted and her arm retracted from around his shoulder. Assuming that he'd finally articulated his point, his body prepared itself for a harsh reprimand, but instead her hand gently cupped his chin.

"Now you listen to me, Miles," Sally said sternly. She was now kneeling before him and her hand moved up to cradle his cheek, "none of this is your fault. It was all Robotnik's doing, not anybody else's. Do you understand me?" Tails remained silent, but his eyes locked with Sally's before dropping down. "I'm not mad at you, sweetie."

Upon hearing those words another errand sniffle escaped the young fox and his blue irises shone like sapphires glimmering in the moonlight. He searched Sally's expression, but found not the slightest tinge of anger, resentment, or hatred. Being as upset as he was, he failed to keep from asking, "Promise?"

Sally let fourth a giggle and her lips curled upwards in a small smile. "Cross my heart," she confirmed by drawing a line across her chest.

What she had said was true. Her little freedom fighter had saved not only her life, but the lives of Antoine, Bunnie, and every other resident of Knothole. Much like a certain blue hedgehog, he had faced down danger that would've frozen nearly anyone else in their tracks.

Despite the immense amount of worry and fear his actions had generated, Sally couldn't fault the fox for what he'd done. She didn't know what had motivated the kit to rise in the face of danger, but she was filled with nothing but gratitude and pride for his reckless behavior.

"Now can I get a smile?" Sally asked gently. When his mouth refused to budge, her own smile grew and she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his right cheek, then his left cheek, and finally his nose. Finally, a small giggle emanated from the fox and her ears twitched in delight at the precious sound.

"There's my little freedom fighter," The princess said and reclaimed her seat next to the fox and once more gently wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He heart swelled with affection when Tails leaned over and nuzzled into her side. The two simply sat still and listened to the ambience of the forest that seeped through the walls of the infirmary.

Sally had nearly forgotten how serene the forest could be at night, she'd always been so wrapped up in her duties as a leader that she seldom took time to simply be still. A few minutes later, Tails' mouth stretched wide open in a long and drawn out yawn, but the chipmunk could still sense the child's internal tension.

Tails remained leaning against Sally and he continued to listen to her heartbeat, even as another round of thoughts penetrated his psyche. His desperate pleas for his mother had planted a question in his mind. A question that only one mobian could ever truly answer.

"Aunt Sally?" Tails asked with a nervous and choked voice.

"Yes, honey?" Sally asked with a newly concerned tone and looked down at the child.

A long and silent pause filled the air. Tails' own apprehension had clamped his mouth shut and once again he found it nearly impossible to meet Sally's gaze. A moment later, the chipmunk's silky and affectionate voice dripped into the kit's ears. "It's okay, Tails. You can ask me."

The child released a wavering sigh and his chest expended with a large intake of air. "Why… Why did she leave me?" His question was barely more than a whisper and was filled with an empty sadness that threatened to bring another round of tears. "Is… Is my mom ever gonna come back?"

Sally could tell exactly what the child was longing to hear by the very timbre of his voice. Just as any other child, he craved the feeling of belonging to a family, but more than that he wanted to belong to and be loved by someone.

She once again found herself at a crossroad in her relationship with Tails. It was a familiar experience, yet it was no less agonizing. She could tell Tails to hold fast to the hope that one day, his biological parents would return but what irreversible damage would that cause to the fox's fragile little heart?

Suddenly her mind traveled back to her emotional reunion with the fox and those four drowsy words he'd whispered. The emotional memory triggered several other interactions she'd had with the child and she couldn't picture anyone else filling the role she played. So with a soft smile and a gentle squeeze, Sally whispered her response as if it were a secret, "I think you know, I've always been your momma."

Tails let forth a tiny gasp at Sally's statement as her words worked their way through his mind and into his heart. A warmth stretched across his body and he couldn't resist snuggling just a little bit closer to the chipmunk. In that moment, even with his home nearly destroyed, his world seemed complete; he had all he needed right in that very room.

Sleep soon found Tails as he rested in the warm and secure grasp of the Princess. He was sure everything would be okay; so long as he had his family, he knew it would be. The spark of hope that burned in Tails had lit a roaring fire of optimism in the kit and the warmth radiated into Sally.

She wasn't sure how they'd recover, but the Knothole Freedom Fighters were a resilient lot. They'd find a way. For they had a light; a shining beacon that would guide the way in the darkest nights. A light that would bring hope in the most trying times; a light that would never burn out.

**A/N Well, there it was! I'd like to give a shout out to some specific reviewers... LeoDragon678, Wingwolfy, Autumn, Tales from the crypt keeper. Thank y'all extra awesome peeps for the continuous reviews, feedback, or simply staying with the story even after if was overhauled.  
**

**Next, I want to give a huge shoutout to Rinpoo, please do check out "Taking Up the Mantle" if you haven't already**

**Thank you so much for reading and if you enjoyed this story be sure to check out the ongoing sequels to this story "Shattered Skies" as well as "Family ties"  
**

**Anyway, thank you again for reading and if you'd be so kind, please leave me a review and let me know what you think. I love y'all and I'll catch you in the next story! As always Rock on and God Bless!**


End file.
